Biography

Executive and Artistic Director, Thor Steingraber

Thor Steingraber will conclude his 12-year tenure at the end of this season as The Soraya’s Executive and Artistic Director, the San Fernando Valley’s 1700-seat performance venue known for its architecture, acoustics, artistic excellence and programmatic variety.

The Soraya is the region’s foremost presenter of Spanish-language programs, and its jazz festival has garnered national recognition, including DownBeat Magazine’s “Great Jazz Venues of the World,” the only Southern California performing arts venue awarded this distinction.  Under the banner “Music Knows No Borders,” The Soraya presents artists from across the globe – including orchestras, dance companies, and musical artists from more than 40 different nations.

Prior to The Soraya, Steingraber oversaw the opening of Grand Park at the foot of City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, establishing it as the city’s go-to location for milestone events.  Steingraber was the first Arts Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, and wrote extensively about the arts for publications including the Boston Globe and many arts and policy journals.

For nearly two decades, Steingraber directed operas at some of the world’s major venues, from Los Angeles to New York, Hong Kong to Barcelona. In this capacity, he honed his commitment to producing multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural works, a through-line to his work at The Soraya and beyond.