David Pountney to be WNO's Chief Executive and Artistic Director

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Outside of a Van de Graaff there aren't many things in life that can give you a free perm - but today my hair was given a truly worthy curly wurly with the news that David Pountney will be WNO's new Chief Executive and Artistic Director. Currently the Intendant at the Bregenzer Festival Pountney will take up his position with WNO in September of this year, combining both roles until he steps down from his Bregenzer role in 2013.

Having worked with Scottish Opera and English National Opera he is no stranger to the opera scene in the UK and his vast experiences abroad with the likes of Zurich, Vienna and Bavarian State Opera promises much excitement for WNO’s future. He’ll be working closely with Music Director Lothar Koenigs and they should be quite familiar with each other given that Koenigs has conducted at the Bregenzer festival, so the Poutney directed Lulu in the spring of 2013 promises to be an exciting production.

Speaking about the appointment the Chairman of WNO, Geraint Talfan Davies, had this to say...

"We are truly delighted to have found someone of David Pountney’s experience and stature to lead WNO for the next five years. With his substantial track record for innovation and excellence, he will reinforce the international standards and the sense of artistic ambition on which the company’s reputation has been built..."

The man himself had this to say...

"I am really thrilled to have the chance to return to lead a company that has long been very close and important to me - a national and international company that has enormous potential to be a powerful creative force on the European opera stage. That potential stems from its secure base in Wales, from which it derives its deeply grounded musical tradition. I particularly look forward to nurturing that tradition alongside my friend and colleague, music director, Lothar Koenigs."

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UPDATE

David Pountney will be talking to Petroc Trelawny on this evening's In Tune on BBC Radio 3 from 5pm. If you miss it you can catch it on the BBC i-Player for a further week - fast forward to 1:42:25.