British director Jo Davies has been appointed as the new Artistic Director of Opera Australia. In a career spanning opera, musicals and theatre, she has directed for the Royal Opera House, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, the English National Opera, London’s Barbican, Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Jo Davies. Photo supplied
Davies has never run a company before. Speaking to Limelight, she said, “I’ve spent 25 years as a freelance international director and, from my perspective, I think there are a lot of things I can bring to that role. I don’t see it as a problem, but it’s definitely a challenge.”
She told Limelight that she has seen a fair amount of Opera Australia’s work and would like to see the company “really solidify its national base and international identity by using more national talent to put that cultural stamp on its work . . .. If you’re going to put a clear Australian stamp upon a European-derived artform, largely written by dead white European men, then the only way to do it is through Australian talent. That’s about new writing, and about...
I hope OA will stop the nonses of musicals.
Jo Davies has never run a company. hope she doesn’t run OA into the ground. If I want to see a musical I go else where. Opera House is only for classical music.