The State Opera South Australia has announced a new chair and two new directors to its board.

Master Elizabeth Olsson will take over the position of Chair of the Board. She will replace John Irving who has retired. Olsson joined the State Opera Board in 2014. She has been a legal practitioner for over 30 years and is the Master of the District Court.

“We have had a change of guard at State Opera. Elizabeth’s passion for what we do is palpable and contagious. Her skills are the perfect balance of entrepreneurial spirit and strong governance, and I’m excited to take State Opera into this next chapter with her,” said new Executive Director Mark Taylor in an official press statement.

Other board members that were added to the team include Peter Goldsworthy and Philippa Williams. Meanwhile, Beata Byok has been appointed for three more years. Goldsworthy works in medicine and writing; he has been shortlisted and won major literary awards across numerous genres. Finally, Williams is a travel consultant and recently started her career as a musician.

The company is undergoing numerous shifts as it searches for a new Artistic Director; Stuart Maunder, who currently holds the position, is set to leave the company at the end of 2023.