The Royal Academy of Music has named Brenda Hurley its new Head of Opera, effective July 2020.

Hurley has been the Director of the prestigious International Opera Studio in Zürich since 2012. During her time in Zürich she elevated the IOS to become one of the leading young artist programs and singers. She has worked as coach for singers at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Salzburg Festival, Glyndebourne Festival, and English National Opera. She has also worked with conductors Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Mark Elder, Sir Andrew Davis, Yannick Nézet-Seguin and Valery Gergiev.

She has also worked with the Jette Parker Young Artists at the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne’s Jerwood Young Artist Programme, the National Opera Studio in London, the Dutch National Opera Studio Amsterdam, the New National Theatre Programme in Tokyo, the Sempeoper Dresden and the Young Artist Programme at the Bolshoi Theatre.

“I am thrilled that Brenda Hurley is joining the Royal Academy of Music at the new Head of Royal Academy Opera. She is hugely respected as one of the finest opera coaches, leaders and mentors to talented young singers all over the world,” Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, the Academy’s Principal, said.