Richard Davidson-Houston appointed managing director of Glyndebourne

Sussex-based opera house, Glyndebourne has announced the promotion of Richard Davidson-Houston, current director of audience development and media, to the role of managing director, effective from autumn 2022. He will succeed Sarah Hopwood who will retire from the role after 25 years, joining the Board of Trustees.

Davidson-Houston will work alongside artistic director Stephen Langridge. In addition to having over two years of experience working at Glyndebourne, he has held senior roles at Channel 4, where he was head of streaming service All 4, and Microsoft, where he was UK business manager for Hotmail, Messenger and MSN.

Glyndebourne’s executive chair Gus Christie said ‘It is especially pleasing that, after an extensive, externally-led search the top candidate is Richard. I am confident that he has the inclusive leadership style, strategic insight and executional excellence that are so important to a leading, innovative arts organisation’.

Glyndebourne is an internationally recognised opera house. Founded by John Christie and his opera singer wife, Audrey Mildmay, in 1934, Glyndebourne Festival runs annually from May to August with a programme of six operas in its 1,200-seat opera house. Glyndebourne Tour was established in 1968 and runs from October to December each year with the aim of bringing opera to new audiences across the UK.

On his appointment, Davidson-Houston said: ‘It's a dream come true to have the opportunity to lead this immensely skilled and creatively ambitious team and to invent the future of Glyndebourne together. Coming here has already been a life-changing experience and I am very excited about what lies ahead’.

You can find out more about Glyndebourne here.