Johan Simons

Johan Simons (1946) is a Dutch theatre director. He was trained at the Dance Academy of Rotterdam and at the Theatre Academy in Maastricht.

In 1985 he founded Zuidelijk Toneel Hollandia together with Paul Koek. It would become one of The Netherlands' most renowned theatre companies, with internationally acclaimed plays including The Fall of the Gods and Sentimenti.

Between 2005 and 2010, Simons was the artistic director of NTGent. His productions for NTG include The Asylum Seeker, Kasimir and Karoline, La Grande Bouffe, and Letter to my Judge.

In 2010 he became the artistic director of the Münchner Kammerspiele, which since then has performed work by Elfriede Jelenik, Shakespeare, Lot Vekemans en Joseph Roth, amongst others.

Johan Simons is also an opera director. He directed Simon Boccanegra at the Opéra Bastille and Die Entfürung aus dem Serail at the Dutch Opera.

In September 2009, Johan Simons was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Ghent, as a token of their appreciation for his visionary approach, his international acclaim and social involvement. His work was awarded many national and international prizes.