Opera North general director Richard Mantle OBE DL is to retire next year after almost 30 years leading the company.
Richard joined Opera North, one of the UK’s leading arts organisations, in 1994, following previous roles as managing director at Edmonton Opera in Canada, at Scottish Opera and as deputy managing director at English National Opera. He was awarded an OBE in June 2013 for services to music, is a deputy lieutenant of West Yorkshire and holds honorary doctorates from Leeds and York universities.
He led two significant capital developments at Opera North, including the Transformation programme which created purpose-built rehearsal facilities and led to the opening of the Howard Assembly Room in 2009, and the recent Music Works project to create additional rehearsal space for the orchestra and chorus, dedicated education studios, and improved front of house facilities for the Howard Assembly Room, including Kino, a new restaurant and bar.
The process to recruit a new general director for Opera North will begin soon.