New appointment - Artistic Director Designate - Cape Town Opera
I am pleased to announce my appointment as Artistic Director of Cape Town Opera from 2021
Chairperson of the Cape Town Opera Board of Directors, Mrs Susan Smith, said: “We are very excited to welcome Michael Hunt who brings to CTO his rich knowledge, breadth of experience and deep love of opera together with his keen desire to share this with young South African artists looking to make their career in this vibrant art form.”
Cape Town Opera’s 21 year history as one of the most important performing arts companies in the country is inspiring. South Africa and Cape Town itself has always had an exceptional level of creativity and innovation, and has a unique and world-class cultural ecology. I’m tremendously honoured to be invited to contribute to that, and to have been appointed Artistic Director at this ground-breaking opera company. I am delighted to be joining the Cape Town Opera team, led by Chairperson Susan Smith, a very dynamic Board and CTO’s Interim MD Africa Melane, as we look forward to the future of this unique company in building an extraordinary powerhouse for opera in Cape Town, South Africa and the World.
I am an experienced artistic leader in the performing arts. My leadership style is people oriented. A background in Chemistry helps me to analyse problems empirically and assists me as an artist. Giving and getting confidence, I like to bring harmony to a work environment but also inspire artistically. For me to be inspired by the organisation and people I work with brings the greatest sense of satisfaction - we work together.
In addition to working as a theatre and opera director in many companies throughout Europe and USA, I have led a number of organisations, including holding posts of Artistic Director and CEO at Cheltenham Arts Centre, Co-Opera Ireland and the Theatre Royal Waterford and CEO of the world famous Wexford Opera Festival.
NEWS - My trilogy of children's theatre at the Perm Theatre for Young Spectators has just been completed in March 2020. ALICE IN WONDERLAND has so far not been performed to an audience because of the restrictions of the COVID19 regulations that has closed theatres throughout the world. We did, however, get to Dress Rehearsal and photographs are now available on this site.
Chairperson of the Cape Town Opera Board of Directors, Mrs Susan Smith, said: “We are very excited to welcome Michael Hunt who brings to CTO his rich knowledge, breadth of experience and deep love of opera together with his keen desire to share this with young South African artists looking to make their career in this vibrant art form.”
Cape Town Opera’s 21 year history as one of the most important performing arts companies in the country is inspiring. South Africa and Cape Town itself has always had an exceptional level of creativity and innovation, and has a unique and world-class cultural ecology. I’m tremendously honoured to be invited to contribute to that, and to have been appointed Artistic Director at this ground-breaking opera company. I am delighted to be joining the Cape Town Opera team, led by Chairperson Susan Smith, a very dynamic Board and CTO’s Interim MD Africa Melane, as we look forward to the future of this unique company in building an extraordinary powerhouse for opera in Cape Town, South Africa and the World.
I am an experienced artistic leader in the performing arts. My leadership style is people oriented. A background in Chemistry helps me to analyse problems empirically and assists me as an artist. Giving and getting confidence, I like to bring harmony to a work environment but also inspire artistically. For me to be inspired by the organisation and people I work with brings the greatest sense of satisfaction - we work together.
In addition to working as a theatre and opera director in many companies throughout Europe and USA, I have led a number of organisations, including holding posts of Artistic Director and CEO at Cheltenham Arts Centre, Co-Opera Ireland and the Theatre Royal Waterford and CEO of the world famous Wexford Opera Festival.
NEWS - My trilogy of children's theatre at the Perm Theatre for Young Spectators has just been completed in March 2020. ALICE IN WONDERLAND has so far not been performed to an audience because of the restrictions of the COVID19 regulations that has closed theatres throughout the world. We did, however, get to Dress Rehearsal and photographs are now available on this site.
Moscow Musical Express / Russia
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"Michael Hunt’s direction of Fidelio brilliantly plays artifice off against found mise-en-scene almost as a research method...sustained power, searing intensity and superlative musicanship and stagecraft of this fine production."
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Sir Tom Stoppard
Playwright / Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
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"I think your production of EGBDF is magnificent. I admired everything about it – the actors especially, but the continual inventiveness and style of the whole thing, the movement, the dancers, the physicality and the look of it all. But the two Ivanovs above all. I thought you cast it so well. "
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Michael Dervan
Music Critic / Irish Times
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‘His tenacity in the face of adversity and his fortitude in dealing with limited resources are exceptional.’
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Michael Billington
The Guardian / London
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‘Elegantly staged ... the image that stays with you is of Picasso as the minotaur: a mixture of man and monster’
‘the piece is beautifully staged by Michael Hunt on a circular sandpit and eloquently acted’
‘the piece is beautifully staged by Michael Hunt on a circular sandpit and eloquently acted’
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