Ainārs Rubiķis took up his position as Music Director of the Komische Oper Berlin at the start of the 2018/19 season. Latvian-born, he came to international attention as winner of the 2010 Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition. The following year, he was recipient of the second Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award and subsequently conducted the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester at the Salzburger Festspiele. He served as Music Director and Chief Conductor of Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre from 2012 to 2014, and was awarded a prestigious Golden Mask Award as “Best Conductor” for the Company’s new production of Bernstein’s Mass. In 2020, Ainars was awarded his second ‘Best Conductor’ Golden Mask Award for his performances of Rusalka with the Bolshoi Theatre.

Highlights with the Komische Oper have included new productions of Die Tote Stadt, La Traviata and the world premiere of Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder , together with Zauberflote, The Love for Three Oranges, Cendrillon, Der Rosenkavalier and Rigoletto.

The 2020/21 season includes new productions of Rusalka and Oedipe, alongside a revival of Die Zauberflöte and regular symphonic programmes for the Komische Oper Berlin. Guest conducting includes his return to the Bolshoi Theatre (Rusalka) and his symphonic debut with Staatsorchester Stuttgart.