Selecting the future artistic leadership of Opera Australia

Following the untimely death of its musical director, the late Richard Hickox CBE, Opera Australia begins its search for a new artistic leader.

Chairman of the Opera Australia Board of Directors Dr Ziggy Switkowski and Chief Executive Adrian Collette today made public the selection process, which will involve wide consultation with industry professionals, to establish the Company’s future artistic leadership structure and candidacy.

Dr Switkowski said: "We have appointed a selection committee to find the best possible candidate but, before we get down to individual names, we are taking the opportunity to consult as widely as possible, amongst experienced colleagues here and overseas, to find the best possible model for the future artistic leadership of Australia's national opera company."

The Selection Committee will comprise four members of Opera Australia’s Board - Chairman Dr Ziggy Switkowski, David Malouf AO, Anson Austin OAM and Tim McFarlane - and Opera Australia’s Chief Executive, Adrian Collette AM.

The first stage of the process involves external consultations with:

• A panel of eminent professionals with significant Australian and international experience including Neil Armfield AO (opera and theatre director); Richard Mills AM (composer, conductor, and music director); Jonathan Summers and Yvonne Kenny AM (opera singers); Sarah Billinghurst (Manager, Artistic at The Metropolitan Opera) and Trevor Green (Managing Director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra).

• Major opera companies, in particular opera companies of similar size overseas in order to benchmark artistic leadership structures in use around the world.

• Opera Australia's performance partners including representatives from Orchestra Victoria, The Australian Ballet, Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre, Melbourne.

Dr Switkowski added: "The Selection Committee will also take account of submissions made in earlier Board consultations and welcomes additional submissions."

The Committee will then consult internally with key groups across the Company including:

• senior artistic management
• ensemble and freelance principal singers
• members of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Opera Australia Chorus
• music staff, resident directors and technical personnel including workshop, wardrobe and stage management

These external and internal consultations will begin immediately and should be completed within six weeks.

Dr Switkowski commented: "Once the Committee has completed its consultations, an announcement will be made about Opera Australia’s artistic leadership structure. We will then begin the search for a specific candidate/s, and anticipate advertising nationally and internationally for this position/s."

“The Selection Committee will also be responsible for interviewing applicants and making a recommendation to the Board of Opera Australia. We expect the process of interviewing candidates and making the final selection to take approximately three months.”

A public announcement about the successful candidate/s will be made by the Board on conclusion of the selection process, and is expected to be finalised within six months.

“The Board and I are confident that this consultative approach will result in the best outcome for Opera Australia, an outcome which will serve its many stakeholders' interests now and into the future,” concluded Dr Switkowski.

View the Selection Process for the Future Artistic Leadership of Opera Australia

View the Terms of Reference for Consultations on the Future Artistic Leadership of Opera Australia