Opera Australia gets new boss amid 'serious challenges'
Opera Australia has been on an executive recruitment drive after Ms Allan's shock exit in January, just three years into her role, and as it tries to turn around 2024's box office slump and an operating deficit of $10.6 million.
It is also trying to bounce back from 2024's loss of Jo Davies as artistic director, which it blamed on differences of opinion on artistic innovation and commercial imperatives.
In a statement, the company said the appointment of Mr Budd, a former Opera Australia employee and current director of Canberra Theatre Centre, would strengthen its " place as the nation's premier opera company".
Other key appointments were Glyn Davis as board chairman and Andrea Battistoni as music director, it said.
"Alex Budd brings to OA extensive performing arts expertise with proven commercial capability," Professor Davis said.
"His leadership will secure an artistically rewarding and sustainable future for Opera Australia.
"Recent years have thrown some serious challenges at the company, handled with dedication and determination by the Opera Australia team.
"Alex will build on their achievements and develop new opportunities for partnership and joint productions."
Opera Australia, marking its 70th anniversary in 2025, earlier this year announced a return to some of its milestone productions.
Its Sydney 2026 program includes Moffatt Oxenbould's production of Madama Butterfly, and Graeme Murphy's The Merry Widow.
In Melbourne, the company's first new production of La Boheme in 15 years, as well as La Traviata directed by Sarah Giles, are highlights.
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The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
New La Bohème promises Aussie cast, 'dazzling fishnets'
Opera Australia is promising a "glittering reimagining" of La Bohème, Puccini's tragedy of star-crossed lovers in Paris, ahead of opening night at Sydney Opera House on Saturday. Performed by an all-Australian cast, the production moves the action of one of the world's most popular operas forward about 100 years from 1830s Paris to 1930s Weimar Republic Berlin. The company said opera-goers could expect the fresh take on the original bohemian love story to transport "audiences to the dazzling fishnets and fairy lights world" of the late Weimar era - a time of cultural flourishing in Germany. There would be glamorous costumes and grand sets to go with the "universal themes of love, friendship and loss", Opera Australia said. "La Bohème is a story that transcends time and place and has been moving audiences around the world for generations," it said. Opera Australia - the nation's largest performing arts company - hopes the fan-favourite can boost box office takings as it tries to turn around a 2024 slump in audience numbers and an operating deficit of $10.6 million. It is also trying to bounce back from 2024's loss of Jo Davies as artistic director, which it blamed on differences of opinion on artistic innovation and commercial imperatives. The company this week named Alex Budd, current director of Canberra Theatre Centre, as its new boss, seven months after Fiona Allan abruptly left the top job at the Sydney-based company. In announcing Mr Budd's appointment, Opera Australia said it backed him to strengthen its position as "the nation's premier opera company". Other key changes place Glyn Davis as board chairman and Italian maestro Andrea Battistoni as music director. Marking its 70th anniversary this year, Opera Australia has also recently announced a return to some of its milestone productions. Its Sydney 2026 program includes Moffatt Oxenbould's production of Madama Butterfly and Graeme Murphy's The Merry Widow. In Melbourne, highlights are the city's first new production of La Bohème in 15 years, as well as La Traviata directed by Sarah Giles. Opera Australia is promising a "glittering reimagining" of La Bohème, Puccini's tragedy of star-crossed lovers in Paris, ahead of opening night at Sydney Opera House on Saturday. Performed by an all-Australian cast, the production moves the action of one of the world's most popular operas forward about 100 years from 1830s Paris to 1930s Weimar Republic Berlin. The company said opera-goers could expect the fresh take on the original bohemian love story to transport "audiences to the dazzling fishnets and fairy lights world" of the late Weimar era - a time of cultural flourishing in Germany. There would be glamorous costumes and grand sets to go with the "universal themes of love, friendship and loss", Opera Australia said. "La Bohème is a story that transcends time and place and has been moving audiences around the world for generations," it said. Opera Australia - the nation's largest performing arts company - hopes the fan-favourite can boost box office takings as it tries to turn around a 2024 slump in audience numbers and an operating deficit of $10.6 million. It is also trying to bounce back from 2024's loss of Jo Davies as artistic director, which it blamed on differences of opinion on artistic innovation and commercial imperatives. The company this week named Alex Budd, current director of Canberra Theatre Centre, as its new boss, seven months after Fiona Allan abruptly left the top job at the Sydney-based company. In announcing Mr Budd's appointment, Opera Australia said it backed him to strengthen its position as "the nation's premier opera company". Other key changes place Glyn Davis as board chairman and Italian maestro Andrea Battistoni as music director. Marking its 70th anniversary this year, Opera Australia has also recently announced a return to some of its milestone productions. Its Sydney 2026 program includes Moffatt Oxenbould's production of Madama Butterfly and Graeme Murphy's The Merry Widow. In Melbourne, highlights are the city's first new production of La Bohème in 15 years, as well as La Traviata directed by Sarah Giles. Opera Australia is promising a "glittering reimagining" of La Bohème, Puccini's tragedy of star-crossed lovers in Paris, ahead of opening night at Sydney Opera House on Saturday. Performed by an all-Australian cast, the production moves the action of one of the world's most popular operas forward about 100 years from 1830s Paris to 1930s Weimar Republic Berlin. The company said opera-goers could expect the fresh take on the original bohemian love story to transport "audiences to the dazzling fishnets and fairy lights world" of the late Weimar era - a time of cultural flourishing in Germany. There would be glamorous costumes and grand sets to go with the "universal themes of love, friendship and loss", Opera Australia said. "La Bohème is a story that transcends time and place and has been moving audiences around the world for generations," it said. Opera Australia - the nation's largest performing arts company - hopes the fan-favourite can boost box office takings as it tries to turn around a 2024 slump in audience numbers and an operating deficit of $10.6 million. It is also trying to bounce back from 2024's loss of Jo Davies as artistic director, which it blamed on differences of opinion on artistic innovation and commercial imperatives. The company this week named Alex Budd, current director of Canberra Theatre Centre, as its new boss, seven months after Fiona Allan abruptly left the top job at the Sydney-based company. In announcing Mr Budd's appointment, Opera Australia said it backed him to strengthen its position as "the nation's premier opera company". Other key changes place Glyn Davis as board chairman and Italian maestro Andrea Battistoni as music director. Marking its 70th anniversary this year, Opera Australia has also recently announced a return to some of its milestone productions. Its Sydney 2026 program includes Moffatt Oxenbould's production of Madama Butterfly and Graeme Murphy's The Merry Widow. In Melbourne, highlights are the city's first new production of La Bohème in 15 years, as well as La Traviata directed by Sarah Giles. Opera Australia is promising a "glittering reimagining" of La Bohème, Puccini's tragedy of star-crossed lovers in Paris, ahead of opening night at Sydney Opera House on Saturday. Performed by an all-Australian cast, the production moves the action of one of the world's most popular operas forward about 100 years from 1830s Paris to 1930s Weimar Republic Berlin. The company said opera-goers could expect the fresh take on the original bohemian love story to transport "audiences to the dazzling fishnets and fairy lights world" of the late Weimar era - a time of cultural flourishing in Germany. There would be glamorous costumes and grand sets to go with the "universal themes of love, friendship and loss", Opera Australia said. "La Bohème is a story that transcends time and place and has been moving audiences around the world for generations," it said. Opera Australia - the nation's largest performing arts company - hopes the fan-favourite can boost box office takings as it tries to turn around a 2024 slump in audience numbers and an operating deficit of $10.6 million. It is also trying to bounce back from 2024's loss of Jo Davies as artistic director, which it blamed on differences of opinion on artistic innovation and commercial imperatives. The company this week named Alex Budd, current director of Canberra Theatre Centre, as its new boss, seven months after Fiona Allan abruptly left the top job at the Sydney-based company. In announcing Mr Budd's appointment, Opera Australia said it backed him to strengthen its position as "the nation's premier opera company". Other key changes place Glyn Davis as board chairman and Italian maestro Andrea Battistoni as music director. Marking its 70th anniversary this year, Opera Australia has also recently announced a return to some of its milestone productions. Its Sydney 2026 program includes Moffatt Oxenbould's production of Madama Butterfly and Graeme Murphy's The Merry Widow. In Melbourne, highlights are the city's first new production of La Bohème in 15 years, as well as La Traviata directed by Sarah Giles.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
New La Bohème promises Aussie cast, 'dazzling fishnets'
Opera Australia is promising a "glittering reimagining" of La Bohème, Puccini's tragedy of star-crossed lovers in Paris, ahead of opening night at Sydney Opera House on Saturday. Performed by an all-Australian cast, the production moves the action of one of the world's most popular operas forward about 100 years from 1830s Paris to 1930s Weimar Republic Berlin. The company said opera-goers could expect the fresh take on the original bohemian love story to transport "audiences to the dazzling fishnets and fairy lights world" of the late Weimar era - a time of cultural flourishing in Germany. There would be glamorous costumes and grand sets to go with the "universal themes of love, friendship and loss", Opera Australia said. "La Bohème is a story that transcends time and place and has been moving audiences around the world for generations," it said. Opera Australia - the nation's largest performing arts company - hopes the fan-favourite can boost box office takings as it tries to turn around a 2024 slump in audience numbers and an operating deficit of $10.6 million. It is also trying to bounce back from 2024's loss of Jo Davies as artistic director, which it blamed on differences of opinion on artistic innovation and commercial imperatives. The company this week named Alex Budd, current director of Canberra Theatre Centre, as its new boss, seven months after Fiona Allan abruptly left the top job at the Sydney-based company. In announcing Mr Budd's appointment, Opera Australia said it backed him to strengthen its position as "the nation's premier opera company". Other key changes place Glyn Davis as board chairman and Italian maestro Andrea Battistoni as music director. Marking its 70th anniversary this year, Opera Australia has also recently announced a return to some of its milestone productions. Its Sydney 2026 program includes Moffatt Oxenbould's production of Madama Butterfly and Graeme Murphy's The Merry Widow. In Melbourne, highlights are the city's first new production of La Bohème in 15 years, as well as La Traviata directed by Sarah Giles.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Opera Australia names new leaders after 12 months of turmoil
Opera Australia hopes to draw a line under an extended period of uncertainty in its senior managerial ranks with the appointment of a new CEO, music director and board chairman. The company was thrown into turmoil when artistic director Jo Davies quit at the end of August 2024, after barely 18 months in the job. She was followed out the door by chief executive Fiona Allan in January, which left the company without a leader. Since then, Simon Militano has held the fort as acting CEO, with conductor Tahu Matheson as head of music. All three of the new – male – appointees are familiar faces, having had previous or current roles at the company. The new CEO will be Alexander Budd, who is well-known around Opera Australia (OA), from a 16-year stint there in a variety of roles before being appointed director of the Canberra Theatre Centre in early 2020. Italian conductor and composer Andrea Battistoni will be the new music director. Battistoni, 38, and a rising star in Europe is also no stranger to OA, having started conducting there in 2018. He will conduct Madama Butterfly and Turandot for the company next year. The trifecta is completed by new board chair Glyn Davis, who replaces Rod Sims, also the former chief of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Davis was appointed chair of the OA board in November 2021. But he relinquished the board role in September 2022 when he was recruited by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to be secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. 'We have been working together since to ensure a smooth transition,' Sims, the outgoing chair, said. 'His extensive experience and proven track record guiding Opera Australia through the changes the performing arts sector is facing makes Glyn the ideal leader to help OA navigate our next important chapter.'
