Nevill Holt Opera appoints Joe O’Neill as managing director  

Nevill Holt Opera (NHO) has announced that producer Joe O’Neill will be joining the festival in the role of managing director from 19 September. O’Neill succeeds Annie Lydford who will be moving on to take the role of chief executive at The Academy of St Martin in the Fields. 

To join NHO, O’Neill will leave his current role as senior producer for the education department at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe, where he has championed access to live performance for young people as well as creating new performances, education programmes and partnerships to build new audiences. 

NHO artistic director Nicholas Chalmers said: ‘We were impressed with the way [O’Neill ]has sustained and grown the education programme at Shakespeare’s Globe. His background in producing, audience development and introducing young people to theatre makes him perfectly placed to build and broaden Nevill Holt Opera’s reach and long-term strategies.’ 

Having studied theatre design at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, O’Neill has worked extensively on productions and initiatives within the arts and education sectors. He joins NHO after a successful 2022 summer festival and is expected to build on the festival’s commitment to working with young people across the Midlands as well as supporting emerging UK opera singers. 

O’Neill said: ‘Alongside its excellent performances of opera and concerts, NHO clearly has meaningful education work and artist development at its core. The company’s mission to widen access to brilliant live performance and participation is one that is close to my heart, and I am pleased to bring my own experience to ensure the success and growth of this important work.’ 

You can find out more about Nevill Holt Opera here.