Young American Conductor: The Opportunities Are In Europe

American conductor Karen Kamensek is a rising young star in Germany, where she’s been appointed chief conductor of the Freiburg Theatre. Why Germany? “Job opportunities for Americans in Europe are certainly better these days than at home, Kamensek told F.A.Z. Weekly. It might simply be a matter of numbers: There are over 80 functioning operas in Germany alone, and Louisville’s opera, for example, plays maybe three operas a year, while at Freiburg, we play three to four a week.”