New Opera House Chief Faces $600m Challenge
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday September 13, 2007
RICHARD EVANS, the youthful executive director of the Australian Ballet, is poised to become chief executive of the Sydney Opera House.
Mr Evans, 39, met the NSW Arts Minister, Frank Sartor, yesterday, and it is understood he was chosen by the Sydney Opera House Trust selection panel to replace Dr Norman Gillespie, who left the job amid controversy early last month. Mr Evans, a New Zealander, joined the Australian Ballet in 2002 as general manager and later became executive director. He is believed to have been one of two final candidates for the Opera House job. The other is understood to work for the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Mr Evans's theatre career began with stage management, set building and production management before he became executive producer of the NZ Puppet Theatre. He moved to Australia 15 years ago, first joining the Deckchair Theatre Company in Western Australia, and then becoming associate producer at the State Theatre Company of South Australia. In 1997 he was appointed general manager of the Bell Shakespeare Company. When he replaced Ian McRae as general manager of the Australian Ballet much was made of the new young team at the top of the national ballet company as the new artistic director, David McAllister, was also in his 30s. Mr Evans has overseen successful international touring at the AB. With his experience at Bell Shakespeare and the Australian Ballet, Mr Evans is aware of the needs of hirers of the Opera House. But his biggest challenge will be raising the $600 million to refurbish the building and then following the project through. Dr Gillespie's departure came after it was revealed that Opera House staff had twice formally drawn attention to his relationship with a member of the executive team, Claire Swaffield. They claimed staff morale was low, and raised concerns about Ms Swaffield's appointment as Dr Gillespie's personal assistant, and also expressed concern that she had had several rapid promotions in the past three years, most recently to the executive team as director of information systems.
© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald