Just in: Welsh National Opera snatches Seattle boss
mainWNO has named Aidan Lang, General Director of Seattle Opera, as its next general director, starting in July 2019.
Lang, who is British born, said: ‘It will be a wrench to leave Seattle Opera, as the company is known around the world for its enthusiastic and generous opera community, and the warm and welcoming atmosphere it creates for its artists. But Welsh National Opera is where my career in opera really began, and I have always considered it to be my artistic home. It was during my time there in the 1980s that I came to understand the potential for opera to change the way that people view the society they live in, and that insight has been at the core of all my work ever
since. It is an incredible honour to be appointed as WNO’s next General Director.’
Lang will relocate to Wales with his wife, the singer and director Linda Kitchen, and their daughter, Eleanor. He replaces the outgoing artistic director, David Pountney.
This is a truly wonderful appointment. I have worked with Aidan on several occasions (Linda also!) and am thrilled that they are back in the UK – and thrilled for WNO. Some more good news…. hurrah!!
Congratulations, Aidan. This is great news; wishing you every success!
Awesome! The wanderer returns!
Dear WNO, just one line of caution (echoing Erda’s “BE CAREFUL, WOTAN!”) regarding this fellow–as budget challenges loomed in Seattle, the Opera executives defunded the entire Scene Shop and made redundant the workers, top to bottom, encompassing generations of local knowledge and expertise. Fickle winds continue to blow around Yggdrasill when both money and art are concerned.
He did some great things when in New Zealand.