Belgian conductor Karel Deseure is an artist of natural conducting talent and authority, quickly becoming known for his passionate approach, interpretative flair and artistic versatility. In recent seasons, Karel was invited by orchestras such as the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, South Netherlands Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Flanders Symphony Orchestra, Arnhem Philharmonic, l’Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège and Brussels Philharmonic, among others. Next to the symphonic repertoire, Karel has a great love for opera. After his debut in 2016 with Puccini’s La Bohème at Opera Zuid (the Netherlands), he was re-invited to conduct Un Ballo in Maschera by Verdi and the price-winning production of Bernstein’s A Quiet Place. At the Dutch National Opera Academy, he conducted Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, the highly acclaimed Dutch première of Mark Adamo’s Little Women and Die Fledermaus by Strauß. In the next seasons he will make his debut at the Dutch Reisopera (Humperdinck - Hänsel und Gretel), the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, L’Opéra de Toulon (Cosi fan Tutte) et l’orchestre de Cannes.

In 2021, a highlight was his successful debut at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen with the highly acclaimed production of Kurt Weill’s Der Silbersee. He will also make his debut with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, L’Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne and the North Netherlands Orchestra. Karel will also return to Opera Zuid for Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the National Orchestra of Belgium. Originally a flautist, Karel earned his Master’s degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, subsequently studying conducting at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. In 2012 he was awarded the prestigious conducting scholarship of the Anton Kersjes Foundation. and in 2018 Karel was awarded the Schaunard Award in recognition of his opera work in the Netherlands. Since 2019, Karel is appointed professor of conducting at the Conservatoire of Amsterdam