Ioan Holender

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Ioan Holender (b. 18 July 1935, Timişoara) is a Romanian opera administrator. Holender's family is of Jewish ancestry, and growing up, he spoke three languages. His father owned a factory in Timişoara, which was expropriated in 1948. Holender studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University in Timişoara. He worked as a tennis coach and a director's assistant until he and his family emigrated to Vienna, where his mother was residing. He intended to continue his engineering studies, but became interested in singing. After completing his music studies, he was an operatic baritone and concert singer with the Klagenfurt Stadttheater.

In 1966, he began to work at the Starka theatrical agency, which he eventually took over and whose prestige he increased.

In 1988, Eberhard Waechter named Holender as Secretary-General of the Vienna State Opera, effective as of 1991. There was controversy as this appointment, because of perceived conflicts of interest between this post and his prior association with his theatrical agency. Eventually, Holender dissociated himself from the Starka business. After Waechter's death in February 1992, Holender became Director of the Vienna State Opera on 1 April 1992. He also led the Vienna Volksoper for 4 years simultaneously. Holender's contract was extended three times and his tenure is scheduled to conclude in June 2010. At the conclusion of his tenure, he will have been the longest-serving general director in the history of the Vienna State Opera.

Holender and his wife have two sons and a daughter.