Meet your new Artistic Director

Opera Australia's new Artistic Director, Jo Davies

After an extensive global search, we’re thrilled to have appointed a new Artistic Director for our next chapter.

Jo Davies is an award-winning director of opera, musicals and theatre, with over two decades of experience.

She has created epic opera productions for companies including Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Welsh National Opera, Netherlands Opera, Angers and Nantes Opera, and Opera North.

Outside of opera, Jo has worked on the West End and Broadway, as well as for the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company. Throughout her career, she’s also consistently devoted time to developing new talent, and we’re excited to see those skills put to use at our company.

We asked Jo a few questions to help introduce her to you. Learn about her background, passions and how she will approach the important task ahead of her: programming awe-inspiring opera to thrill audiences in 21st century Australia.

It’s a huge gear shift to move from a successful freelance career, predominantly in the UK, to an Artistic Director role on the other side of the world.

What inspired you to apply for this job?

It is a big gear shift, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. After a couple of decades of directing and building connections with audiences internationally, directors often experience a desire to base themselves and develop stronger social connections in one community. And that’s certainly something I’ve been experiencing.

I’ve also always travelled extensively with my work but I know there are only a few cities I could live in. I’ve always liked living in multicultural cities — I’ve lived in London, Paris and New York over the years. I’ve lots of family in both Australia and New Zealand, so Sydney and Melbourne are cities I’ve grown to love and feel very comfortable in. I know Melbourne probably better than I know Sydney — but it’s definitely a city I’m excited to get to know.

How did you, personally, fall in love with opera?
I first fell in love with opera watching Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk on BBC 2. Opera wasn’t in my upbringing at all — I grew up in Wales and we didn’t really go the theatre much when I was younger — but I remember my Mum saying she once had to take my younger brother out to the cinema because I was so intent on watching this strange singing program on TV and wouldn’t let him watch the football! Then I started performing in musicals and didn’t really think about it again.

Fifteen years later I was offered an opportunity to work with that same Lady Macbeth I’d seen on screen: Dame Josephine Barstow as she played Queen Elizabeth I in Benjamin Britten’s Gloriana. She was such an incredible artist, at the very peak of her career — watching her work, her dramatic and musical detail, the incredible vocal skill, coupled with such pragmatism and humility, I fell headlong in love with opera. There was no going back!

To me, opera felt like the absolute pinnacle of incredible music and great storytelling — it felt like the thing I’d been looking for.

Can you tell us a little bit about some of the projects you’re most proud to have worked on?
I tend to be proudest of people I’ve worked with rather than individual projects. It’s so great to work with an artist and then be part of their artistic development over a number of years.

My most creative projects are generally with companies where I’ve built up a strong working relationship. Once you understand how everyone works, that collaboration creates stronger work. I loved directing Carousel for Opera North and The Chatelet because I was able to integrate performers from different disciplines — opera singers, with music theatre performers, classically trained actors and dancers. I find that cross-fertilisation in the arts exciting.

I was also incredibly proud of a community opera I created for English National Opera that involved four choirs, five different bands and orchestras and over 200 community performers aged 11 to 75. It was mayhem sometimes, and I’m not sure I ever rehearsed with everyone in the same room, but the production was genuinely life changing for so many people. Those involved found their voice in so many ways — it fed into their day to day. That was really special and revealed to me how truly transformative opera can be.

You’ve been tasked with putting an Australian stamp on a European-derived art form. How will you approach that task, and what do you think audiences want to see from a 21st century Australian opera company?

From my own experience in the UK and Europe, there is a plethora of acclaimed Australian talent dominating the opera and music theatre industry, and young artist development programs.

I’d like to see Opera Australia solidify its national base and international identity by using more national talent to put a contemporary cultural stamp on its work. I’d like the company to create a sense of belonging for itinerant Australian artists, and match (or exceed) the opportunities they have overseas. Whilst recognising that Australia needs to see the very best of international talent, I also believe that audiences need to build ongoing relationships with their own local artists and see themselves reflected in the work.

I think Covid played a part in us all really assessing what ‘home’ meant too. For some of us it’s place, for some of us it’s people — but I think it made us all look at our local environments in a new way. There’s a lot for us to take from that moving forward. There’s a real and genuine excitement in the arts at the moment for work that speaks of, and connects to its environment, its community. I’m keen to learn more about the cultural landscape in Australia, connect with brilliant and collaborative artists and work towards a 21st century company that has the strategic agility to really respond to its social, cultural and political environment. The most exciting challenge I can see is to bring audiences back for work they connect to and simply can’t wait to see.

What has your experience been with Australia so far? Have you spent much time here? Worked with Australian artists?
I have always had family who live in Australia and New Zealand. Then 15 years ago, my brother also moved to Australia. We’re very close and so, pre-Covid, I’d try to be there almost every year for a month or so to be with family. I found it really difficult to be apart from my brother and his young family during Covid. I don’t have children of my own so I’m very close to my nieces and nephews. And I can’t travel anywhere without going to the local theatre or opera house — so I’ve often found myself watching theatre or opera in Melbourne or Sydney.

I’ve worked with lots of Australian artists. Directors, choreographers and singers. In the UK, looking back over the last ten years, I think I’ve rarely directed an opera that hasn’t had an Australian or New Zealand artist in it. Australians are taking Europe by storm!

And finally, do you have a favourite opera?

It’s hard to have a favourite opera. I generally fall in love with whatever it is I’m working on at the time — it may be an occupational hazard! I feel fortunate to be able to spend my time exploring so many brilliant composers and I find real genius in so many.

I do have a special love for Janacek though — his music is complex, but somehow still seems to have an incredibly simple and honest humanity at the heart of it. And he’s such a dramatic writer. I find his musical voice really speaks to me, and I love how he writes for women.

Right now though I’m deeply embedded in Falstaff and I’m constantly amazed by an 80-year-old Verdi and the cleverness of his wit and comic writing. I can be listening along and suddenly find myself chuckling out loud at his skill. I’ve always loved Verdi but my experience of him has largely been on more epic tragedies such as Don Carlo or Aida — so it’s wonderful to discover he had this incredible sense of humour and lightness to him too.

Jo will meet with our artistic, production, marketing and technical teams in the new year to commence planning the 2024 season, and will relocate to Australia to officially take up her new role in November 2023.

To meet fast-approaching scheduling deadlines, Lindy Hume has been invited to curate an interim 2024 summer season at the Sydney Opera House. The rest of the 2024 season will be programmed by Jo.

*Source: Opera Australia,
PO Box 291, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012, Australia
opera.australia@opera.org.au