Long Beach Opera has announced that Alexander Gedeon will be joining its artistic staff, filling the organization’s newly-created role of Minister of Culture.

He will assist in developing projects for future seasons with an emphasis on cultural inclusion, researching and creating opportunities for diversity in creative design teams, and producing and performing in his original podcast “Towards a New Opera!”

Gedeon, who will begin his new position this month, first worked with LBO as the Assistant Director for its Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “The Central Park Five,” and has directed the company’s new short opera “The Creative in Me,” which features Black composers.

His new podcast “Towards a New Opera!” intends to engage discussion with diverse artists on how to expand the possibilities of American opera. The series is set for 21 episodes to be released over the course of the year, beginning on January 28, 2021.

“LBO is thrilled to add Alexander to our team,” Executive Director Jennifer Rivera wrote in a press release. “He is a multi-talented artist across many disciplines, and we are eager to support and nurture his talent as a director in the opera field, as well as relying on his knowledge, expertise and passion to create a more inclusive, culturally relevant organization.”