Gerard Alfons August, Baron Mortier (born 25 November 1943, Ghent

Ghent

Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...

) is a Belgian opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 director and administrator of Flemish origin.

Mortier has served as general director of La Monnaie

La Monnaie

Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie , or the Koninklijke Muntschouwburg is a theatre in Brussels, Belgium....

 (Brussels) (1981–1991) and of the Salzburg Festival

Salzburg Festival

The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...

 (1990–2001). He was a founding director of the Ruhr Triennale arts festival in Germany, and then he became general director of the Opéra National de Paris in 2004. He relinquished this post in 2009.

In February 2007, the New York City Opera

New York City Opera

The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...

 (NYCO) named him their next general director, effective as of the 2009/2010 season. Mortier assisted with company operations from Paris during the interim period after his appointment was announced. Problems with fund-raising and a smaller-than-expected budget began to develop during the interim period after Mortier's appointment. At one point, there was controversy during this time over speculation that Mortier was campaigning for a position as co-artistic director of the Bayreuth Festival

Bayreuth Festival

The Bayreuth Festival is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner are presented...

. In November 2008, by mutual agreement, Mortier and the NYCO agreed to terminate their contract, and that he would not become NYCO's general director.

Late in November 2008, the Teatro Real

Teatro Real

The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...

 of Madrid announced the appointment of Mortier as its next general director, effective September 2010.

Academic career and awards

• Professor of Communication Science, Ghent University
  Ghent University
  Ghent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...
  
  , Belgium
• Honorary doctorate University of Antwerp
  University of Antwerp
  The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The name is sometimes abbreviated as UA.-History:...
  
  , Belgium
• Honorary doctorate University of Salzburg
  University of Salzburg
  The University of Salzburg, or Paris Lodron University after its founder, the Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron, is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, home of Mozart. It is divided into 4 faculties: catholic theology, law, humanities and natural science.Founded in 1622, it...
  
  , Austria
• National medal of honor from Belgium
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1991)
• French Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
• Member of the Academy of Arts of Berlin
• Golden medal of the Círculo de Bellas Artes
  Círculo de Bellas Artes
  The Círculo de Bellas Artes is a building located in Madrid, Spain. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1981....
  
  of Madrid