Just in: Glyndebourne boss steps down

The festival opera is to lose its managing director next year.

Sarah Hopwood has been in the hot seat since March 2018. Before that she was head of finance. In all, she has put in quarter of a century at Glyndebourne. A forceful character, she got mixed reviews from some departing staff members but there’s no denying her impact.

Press release below.

Glyndebourne announced today that Sarah Hopwood, Managing Director, will step down in autumn 2022 at which time she will join the Board as a Trustee.

Sarah’s career at Glyndebourne has spanned almost 25 years, and in that time she has played a major role in the company’s dramatic growth. Her focus throughout has been on the charity’s long-term sustainability, with a particular emphasis on employees and members, fostering a culture of financial due diligence to support innovation and independence, and approach to the environment.

Over 20 years ago, Sarah spearheaded the initiative for Glyndebourne to invest in its intellectual property, making opera increasingly accessible to all, through cinema, international broadcast and streaming of its productions, driving significant increase in audience reach. During her tenure, Sarah has overseen the construction of Glyndebourne’s Production Hub, its biggest capital investment for 30 years, and critical to delivering the artistic excellence, and bold production choices, for which Glyndebourne is internationally renowned.

Passionate about growing the next generation of opera lovers, Sarah’s financial stewardship has enabled exciting initiatives such as the Glyndebourne Academy, a programme of tuition, coaching and performance for gifted young singers who have faced barriers to their development. This project, alongside regular community youth operas and dedicated Performances for Schools, help spark a lifelong interest in opera and provide an enduring legacy for Glyndebourne.

Gus Christie, Executive Chairman, said: ‘Sarah has been an extraordinary driving force behind Glyndebourne’s success, and an incredibly highly valued business partner to me personally and professionally. We acknowledge and sincerely thank Sarah for her strategic leadership, unrivalled financial stewardship, wisdom, and empathy. With our shared values and beliefs, and an unwavering commitment to both our employees and our members, she has fearlessly navigated the challenging and uncharted waters of recent times, leaving us in a stronger, more resilient position than anyone could have ever hoped. I have always admired Sarah’s tenacity, knowledge, and mettle and am deeply grateful that, while she is stepping down as Managing Director, Sarah has agreed to become a Trustee at Glyndebourne following her retirement.’

Sarah Hopwood, Managing Director, commented: ‘Glyndebourne has been an extraordinary professional home for me for the last 25 years, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate that my passion for opera and music has defined my career, and created one of the best jobs in the world. I’m exceedingly proud of what Glyndebourne has achieved. I have always seen it as my responsibility to ensure that we have the talent, the technology, and the funding to deliver on our world-class artistic ambition. I could not have done my job without the unwavering support and partnership of Gus, our outstanding staff team and the remarkably talented Board of Trustees. I leave Glyndebourne in very capable hands, to write the next exciting chapter, and feel very honoured to be able to continue supporting such a wonderful organisation in the future.’