Santa Fe Opera Announces new General Director & Artistic Director

By Francisco Salazar

Susan G. Marineau, President of Santa Fe Opera has announced the appointment of Robert K. Meya as General Director of the Santa Fe Opera.

The appointment will be effective Oct. 1, 2018. After years of serving as Director of External Affairs at the Santa Fe Opera, Meya will be the fourth General Director in the company’s 62-year history.

As a result of Meya’s appointment, it was announced that Alexander Neef will become Santa Fe Opera’s first Artistic Director. Neef will hold the role in addition to his position as General Director of the Canadian Opera Company.

Meya will also appoint Harry Bicket, Santa Fe Opera’s Chief Conductor since 2013 and Artistic Director of The English Concert, to be the company’s Music Director. Neef’s and Bicket’s new positions will be effective on October 1, 2018.

“It was no surprise that the pool of candidates for General Director of Santa Fe Opera included some of the most accomplished and highly regarded individuals in the world of opera,” said President of Santa Fe Opera Susan G. Marineau. “We were engaged in this process non-stop for the last six months. Robert Meya is the best qualified successor to Charles MacKay and former General Directors John Crosby and Richard Gaddes.”

Meya noted in a press release, “It is truly humbling to be following in the footsteps of giants like Charles MacKay, Richard Gaddes, and John Crosby. I am deeply grateful to Charles, who has been my inspiration and my mentor over the last six years, and am especially thankful that I will have the next eight months to work closely by his side. I am confident that the team that I am creating – a triumvirate of sorts – will be able to rise to the challenges of the future. I am honored to have two leading figures in the field of opera joining me at the helm of this great company: Alexander Neef as Artistic Director and Harry Bicket as Music Director.”

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