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Jesper
Garde Kongshaug, Lighting designer, works within the fields of
theater, opera, ballet, tv & architecture.
Jesper Kongshaug works locally as well as international.
Download cv etc.
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See full opera list in OPERABASE:
https://www.operabase.com/artists/jesper-kongshaug-8270/en
CV:
Jesper Garde Kongshaug
LightingDesign.dk
M:(+45) 40 50 88 28. Peblinge Dossering 46, 2th, 2200 Copenhagen
Atelier: Sankt Pedersstraede 45,1st. DK-1453 København.K Cph. K., Denmark
CV:
Jesper Kongshaug is an internationally recognized lighting designer whose work spans theatre, architecture, public space, and large-scale cultural events. Based in Copenhagen, he has contributed to more than three decades of lighting innovation across Denmark and internationally, collaborating with leading architects, directors, designers, and cultural institutions.
He is the lighting designer behind several major Danish landmarks, including the Royal Danish Theatre’s Skuespilhuset, Tivoli Hjørnet, and the new H.C. Andersen Museum in Odense. Internationally, he has created lighting for institutions such as the San Francisco Opera, and he is currently collaborating with Kengo Kuma Architects on the Waterhouse Project.
As Curator and Spokesperson for the Copenhagen Light Festival, Jesper oversees the artistic direction of one of Northern Europe’s significant light festivals and mentors emerging designers in developing site-specific light installations. His work in public space and light art has contributed to shaping Copenhagen’s identity as a city of light.
Jesper’s practice has been recognized with both national and international distinctions, including the Danish and Nordic Lighting Prize for the Royal Playhouse, the Reumert Prize for Set Design, and the US Edison Award for excellence in public-space lighting. He has taught as honorary/adjunct professor at Design School Kolding and the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and he has lectured widely — including at Stanford University as well as universities in Stockholm, Beijing, Hong Kong, Oslo, New York, and Prague.
In addition to his design work, Jesper has contributed to international academic publications such as Contemporary Performance Lighting (Bloomsbury) and has participated in interdisciplinary LED research with Elsevier. His combined experience across performance, architecture, academia, and public art informs his perspective also as a member of the D’Light Lighting Design Award Grand Jury.
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Jesper Kongshaug was first educated at University of Arizona in the USA and has worked on numerous art institutions worldwide.
Jesper Kongshaug has over the last 25 years worked his lighting magic on a wide range of stages
internationally. JK is a radical and innovative lighting designer, and with his inimitable sense of
theatrical images, shapes, style and character, he illuminates his “landscapes” with a style that
ranges from the classic to the experimental.
As an artist, Kongshaug distinguished himself during Copenhagen’s European City of Culture,
when he created a grand lighting installation “Winterlights" that stretched 14 kilometers to
downtown Copenhagen and in 2013 JK was commissioned to do a Lighting art Installation on the
John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. named “Aurora Borealis” / “Northern Lights”.
He has done award winning lighting design within stage art and architecture, as well as
recognized stage design. Lighting Design for the new Royal Playhouse has given JK the Danish
and the Nordic Lighting prize 2008. The Reumert prize for set design was awarded him in 2012 as
well as the US Edison Award in 2014.
Jesper Kongshaug teaches regularly at Shanghai Theatre Academy and Hong Kong Academy for
Performing Arts and gave lecture at Stanford University, California, USA, on “Lighting as Art in the
Public Space”. JK is honorary professor at the Design School Kolding and teaches at the National
Danish Theatre School.
His lecture in Beijing 2017 for the “Thousand Plan” Lighting program was hosted by Chinese
Ministry Culture.
His stage works “The Capital” and "Sarajevo" are frequently running in Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre.
His international works include extensive travels with Hotel Pro Forma’s “Operation:
ORFEO” created in 1994, “The Magic Flute” in Boston Lyric Opera, USA, “Rosenkavalier” at
Opera de Lyon in France, “Le Grand Macabre” at San Francisco Opera, USA.
Wagners “Lohengrin” he has done both in Moscow, at Novaya Opera and in Berlin at Deutche Oper. Der Ring des Nibelungen he also has done both in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
In Vienna, in 2004 he did “GOYA” with Placido Domingo for Klangbogen Festival at “Theater an der
Wien”, where he returned in 2007 for “Le Nozze di Figaro” and in 2014 he did
“Idomeneo” at Staatsoper in Vienna restaged in 2026.
He is the Lighting Designer for the beautiful Tivoli Gardens theme park of Copenhagen with H. C.
Andersen, celebrating its 175 years anniversary.
His lighting was on display at the main exhibition at Venice Biennale Architettura 2018 in
Italy, together with architect Dorte Mandrup.
......... media:
Interview:
www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/artikel/355222:Liv---Sjael--Paa-broen-mellem-skygge-og-lys
Financial Times review:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/1c5c7928-9a6a-11df-87fd-00144feab49a,_i_email=y.html
Berliner Morgenpost review:
http://www.morgenpost.de/kultur/article1380072/Shanghai-Musical-kritisiert-China-mit-Karl-Marx.html
ESTA member. USITT member.