Interim Leadership of Hamburg Ballet extended until mid-2027
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At its meeting yesterday, the Supervisory Board of the Hamburg Opera House confirmed the joint interim leadership of Hamburg Ballet for an additional season. The leadership team—comprising Nicolas Hartmann, Lloyd Riggins, and Gigi Hyatt—assumed responsibility for Hamburg Ballet at the start of the 2025/26 season. Nicolas Hartmann will continue in his role as Executive Managing Director and remains the third Managing Director of the Hamburg Opera House. He will continue to lead the company together with Artistic Director Lloyd Riggins. Gigi Hyatt will also continue in her role as Interim Director of the School of the Hamburg Ballet, jointly leading the school alongside Nicolas Hartmann.
Under the current leadership team, Hamburg Ballet has returned to a constructive working environment and, in addition to maintaining the Neumeier repertoire, has successfully brought impressive new productions to the stage. The continuation of the interim leadership ensures a stable foundation for the further development of the Hamburg Ballet. At the same time, preparations are underway for the search for a new Artistic Director.
Dr. Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media:
"In recent months, Hamburg Ballet has demonstrated why it ranks among the world’s leading companies. With sensitivity and great enthusiasm, the leadership team has set a positive course in which artistic strength and creativity once again take center stage. By extending the interim leadership initially for one more season, Hamburg Ballet is given a stable foundation that provides a solid basis for the company’s continued development and the search for a future director. The Supervisory Board thanks Lloyd Riggins, Nicolas Hartmann, and Gigi Hyatt for their dedicated work and looks forward to another season under their proven leadership."
Nicolas Hartmann and Lloyd Riggins:
"We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Supervisory Board for the trust placed in us to continue leading Hamburg Ballet jointly for a further season in a positive and progressive way.. Our long-standing connection and dedication to this outstanding company motivates us to fully realize its tremendous artistic potential and to boldly expand the repertoire with new perspectives. The Supervisory Board’s decision sends a strong signal to the entire ensemble: it enables us to build on the foundation already established and to continue providing important impulses both in the world of dance and within the city.
We rely on a model based on mutual trust and clearly defined responsibilities: Nicolas Hartmann is responsible for the administrative leadership, while Lloyd Riggins shapes the artistic direction with full creative freedom. This collaborative approach allows us to consistently develop the profile of this renowned dance institution and to safeguard the artistic excellence of Hamburg Ballet."
For Press Inquiries:
Ministry of Culture and Media
Enno Isermann | Press Spokesperson
Phone: +49 40 42824 207
E-Mail: enno.isermann [at] bkm.hamburg.de
Internet: www.hamburg.de/bkm
Instagram: @bkm_hh
LinkedIn: Behörde für Kultur und Medien
Biographies − +
Nicolas Hartmann was born in Bremen and served from 2007 to 2021 as Assistant to the Managing Director at Hamburg Ballett, before being appointed Managing Director in 2021. He studied Applied Cultural Studies at the University of Lüneburg and managed the festival office of the Summer Music Days in Hitzacker until 2007.
Lloyd Riggins was born in New York, USA. He joined Hamburg Ballet as a Principal Dancer in 1995 and became Ballet Master in 2006. Since 2015, he has served as Deputy Artistic Director of the Hamburg Ballet company. In July2025 he took over the interim leadership of the Hamburg Ballet together with Nicolas Hartmann.
Gigi Hyatt joined Hamburg Ballet in 1982 and was appointed Principal Dancer by John Neumeier in 1986. She ended her stage career in 1997 and moved to the USA. In 2013, Hyatt returned to Hamburg to take on the role of Deputy Director of the Hamburg Ballet School.