Cornelius Baltus was born in Holland and trained at a range of schools, including the Scapino Ballet Academy in Amsterdam and the Institut für Bühnentanz in Cologne. He gained wide experience in musicals from his appearances in CATS, CABARET, KISS ME KATE, HELLO DOLLY and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In 1996, he was a member of the original cast of JOSEPH, where he subsequently took on the job of director. Cornelius Baltus has been Roman Polanski’s Associate Director since 1996, responsible for all productions of DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES in Germany, France and Moscow. From 2003 to 2015, he worked on Disney’s THE LION KING in Hamburg, and since 2005 he been director of the Vienna version as well as directing the productions of DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES in Warsaw, Budapest, Antwerp and St. Petersburg. He also directed CHESS in in Budapest and wrote the book for the remake of the musical HOLLYWOOD DIVA, which he also directed, and which won a Golden Mask, the prestigious Russian theatre award, for Best Musical in 2016.  In 2015 and 2016, he also directed THE LION KING in London’s West End.