Tom Ryser was born in Basel, trained as an actor and has worked as a freelance actor, director, choreographer and writer since 1992 throughout Europe, in Africa and in the USA. He directs across the genres of opera, theater, dance, music and circus, works with a few or hundreds of performers, has created a ballet with heavy machinery and directed the ROCKET SYMPHONY for singers, fireworks and choruses for the opening of the Cultural Capital Linz in 2009.  His production SINGING RIVER for ships and choruses on the river Thames celebrated the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall in London in 2006.  

Since 2010 Tom has directed operas across the standard repertoire while simultaneously directing world-premieres of new interdisciplinary productions. He is the director of Ursus & Nadeschkin, the Swiss comedy and cabaret duo that was honored with the Hans Reinhart-Ring in Switzerland in 2008, the country’s most prestigious theater award, and featured in the documentary film about their work, “Stopping would be Easy: Ursus & Nadesckin,” produced by SRF TV in 2020.

He has directed innovative new works such as JUNGLE, the first Opera for Brass Orchestra at Theater Luzerne and written productions including the interactive CORO FANTASTICO at Theater Heidelberg and IMAGINE at Theater Bremen. 

Tom holds a Diploma in Acting from the Conservatory of Music and Theater in Bern, Switzerland and studied physical acting at the Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theater in London and the Accademia Teatro Dimitri in Switzerland. He was recently a guest lecturer at the Universities of the Arts in Hamburg and Bern. He is the winner of the Hans-Reinhart-Ring, the highest award for artistic achievement in the performing arts in Switzerland.