Anthony Freud, (pictured) General Director of Welsh National Opera (WNO) for the past 11 years, is leaving to take up the position of General Director at Houston Grand Opera in Texas, USA. He will leave WNO in December and take up his new role in March 2006.
artSites has appointed Iqbal Husain, previously Arts Officer for the London Borough of Merton, as its new Executive Director. He succeeds Clare Edwards who left to join Birmingham and Solihull Learning and Skills Council.
Rupert Goold, Artistic Director at Northampton?s Royal and Derngate Theatres, has been appointed as Artistic Director for Oxford Stage Company to succeed Dominic Dromgoole.
Simon Mellor will be stepping down as Executive Director of Lyric Hammersmith in January 2006 to become Producing Director of the new Manchester International Festival.
The Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield has appointed Ruth Mulandi, previously Resource and Development Manager at the Fawcett Society, as the new General Manager. She replaces Lesley Jackson who has left to become Executive Director of West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Liz Palles-Clark has joined Baker Richards Consulting Ltd as Research Manager. She previously worked for Analysys Research and for Regent Associates in Paris.
The Brighton and Hove Arts Commission has appointed Kath Perry, one of the co-founders of the Brighton Fringe Festival, to co-ordinate the 2006 Grassroots Performance Programme.
Michelle Dickson has been appointed as the new Deputy Director (Programme) at the Oxford Playhouse. Rachel Selley is the new Education Assistant, and Charlie Field is Programming and Production Assistant.
Activate, a new theatre and dance development agency, has been formed for Bournemouth and Poole. Its Director will be Kate Wood, Theatre Development Co-ordinator will be Becca Gill, Gill Roberts will be the Dance Development Co-ordinator, and Cheryl Hutton will be the Admin Assistant.
Natalie Persoglio is the new Communications Manager at Manchester?s Contact Theatre.
Kabosh Theatre Company has appointed Jo Egan, previously producer/creator of the Community Wedding Play, as Creative Producer.
ViVA: the orchestra of the east midlands has awarded Michael Young (pictured) The Headley/sinfonia ViVA Associate Conductor Prize. He will now work with the company for two years in an associate capacity.