Born in Stuttgart in 1955, Michael Kerstan is a stage director and dramaturge.
He studied Educational Science, Psychology, Politics and Sociology at the Universities of Saarbrücken and Tübingen, where he was also awarded a doctorate in Cultural Studies. From 1983-90 he worked as the assistant of Hans Werner Henze on various musical and educational projects in Italy, Austria, France and the USA.
He made his directorial debut in Alsfeld/Hessen and at the Frankfurt Festival in the Frankfurt Opera House. He has been variously the artistic director of the Youth Music Festival in Deutschlandsberg/Steiermark, of the Cultural Region of Stuttgart on the project Homage to Paul Hindemith and of the Youth Culture Forum in Salzburg.
His numerous theatre and opera productions have taken him to the FrankfurtFeste, the Hebbel Theatre in Berlin, the Salzburg Festival, the Münchener Biennale for New Music Theatre, the Tübinger Chamber Opera and the Steirischer Herbst in Graz. Michael Kerstan made his debut as film director with Paul´s Party, for which he also wrote the screenplay.
His numerous publications in the field of contemporary music include essays on Benjamin Britten, Hans Werner Henze, Paul Hindemith and Karl Amadeus Hartmann. He has also written four plays. Since 1991 Kerstan has been visiting professor at the International Centre for Culture and Management in Salzburg.
From 1999 to 2004 he was the Public Relations manager of the Nurenberg Opera. Since 2001 he has been giving creative writing classes for Nurenberg secondary school teachers. In February 2005 Kerstan started a collaboration with Opera To GO and CrossSound Festival, Juneau (Alaska) with the production of a Mozart-Gala and a masterclass for singers.