Richard Mantle has been appointed to the position of interim chair of the board of the UK’s ⁦Grange Festival.

Mantle is set to step down from his current position as General Director of Opera North in December and will succeed Tim Parker, who joined the board of the Grange Festival in March 2017 and has held the role of chair for two years.

As interim chair Mantle will work closely with fellow trustee Caroline Greenhalgh who has been appointed as the festival’s interim vice chair.

In a statement, Mantle said, “On behalf of the Board I thank Tim for all he has done for the Grange Festival over the last six years, and most recently as chairman for two years. I am delighted to have recently joined a dynamic, committed and enthusiastic Board at The Grange Festival and privileged to take on the role of interim chair; I am looking forward to working with the trustees, together with the talented leadership team, as we look to the future.”

Mantle has previously worked with Opera North, Edmonton Opera, Scottish Opera, and English National Opera. He was awarded an OBE for services to music in 2013.