Following the late 2023 announcement that Lyric Opera of Chicago’s General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud will be retiring in July 2024, the search has been on for a replacement and they’ve finally found one! It was recently announced that John Mangum will begin his tenure as the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s fifth General Director, President & CEO in the fall of 2024. Magnum most recently served as the Executive Director, CEO, and holder of the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair for the past six years at the Houston Symphony. His resume also includes past executive roles at San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Magnum departs the Houston Symphony with glowing praise from the board. “On behalf of the Board, I thank John for his leadership of the Houston Symphony during the last six years. John’s contributions during his tenure have been numerous and invaluable, and include welcoming Maestro Juraj Valcuha to the podium and leading the first major renovation of Jones Hall since its opening. In the midst of storms and a global pandemic, John has been instrumental in the strengthening of the Houston Symphony toward its vision as a world class orchestra and Houston cultural leader, creating extraordinary musical experiences for all…We have been fortunate to have John and his family in Houston and in the Houston Symphony family during these past six years, and we congratulate him and the Lyric Opera of Chicago on his appointment. The Houston Symphony is stronger as a result of John’s leadership and tireless efforts and is well positioned for our next President and CEO” stated Houston Symphony Society Board President Barbara J. Burger. A sign of a great leader of a civic organization is how much they are able to bring in and it looks like he will do just fine in Chicago. Mangum reportedly increased the (Houston Symphony) “orchestra’s endowment by 50 percent and secured major capital gifts for a $60 million campaign to support the renovation of the Symphony’s home, Jones Hall”
The full statement announcing John Magnum’s arrival as the newest leader of the Lyric Opera of Chicago is below.
Sylvia Neil, Chair, and the Board of Directors of Lyric Opera of Chicago today announce the appointment of accomplished, versatile arts administrator John Mangum as the institution’s fifth General Director, President & CEO. He will start at Lyric in Fall 2024 at a date to be announced.
A distinguished visionary with significant artistic and executive leadership roles at some of the country’s foremost performing arts organizations — including the Houston Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its esteemed Hollywood Bowl — and a noted collaborator with many leading artists
and conductors, Mangum is a multifaceted, modern executive with deep expertise in developing innovative approaches to support, contextualize, and expand the relevance of classical music and the performing arts; creating and implementing significant community and educational programming; and inspiring philanthropy.“On behalf of the Board, I am thrilled to welcome John Mangum to Lyric Opera of Chicago. John’s very strong credentials as a CEO, as well as his artistic management background and music intellectualism, will bring vision, insight, and a fresh perspective to Lyric,” says Sylvia Neil, Board Chair. “At a time when so many arts organizations nationwide are exploring new ways to engage and expand their audiences and grow their donor base, John is a proven leader who understands the complexities of the classical performing arts industry and all that is required to showcase artistic pursuits in the contemporary environment while upholding the highest standards. I offer my thanks to the Search Committee, particularly Bryan Traubert, my committee co-chair, who spent months on what was truly a comprehensive and international process.”
“I first fell in love with classical music and opera in high school, and the art form has been a focus of both my personal and professional life ever since,” says Mangum. “Lyric has long produced opera at the highest international level, and I am passionate about connecting this artistry with audiences in the city of Chicago and beyond. My driving pursuit as a cultural leader is to uplift and support talented artists and explore ways to amplify their work and bring it to as many people as possible. I’m incredibly excited to work in partnership with Lyric’s Music Director Enrique Mazzola, and the amazing artists, artisans, and staff at Lyric. I look forward to finding ways to present the positive and profound impact of opera in service to Chicago and all of its communities.”
Since 2018, Mangum has served as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Symphony, a tenure marked by record growth and transformation. Mangum increased the orchestra’s endowment by 50 percent and secured major capital gifts for a $60 million campaign to support the renovation of Jones Hall, the first major renovation of the Symphony’s home since the building opened in 1966. He also steered the comprehensive search for the Symphony’s current Music Director and introduced major programming initiatives around opera and new music, maximizing reach and accessibility. One such educational program, the Student Concerts Series, is a neighborhood-based initiative that brings Houston Symphony musicians directly into the community to interact with students and invites those students to hear the orchestra on stage at Jones Hall throughout the school year. As the largest school program of any major American orchestra, it currently serves 53,000 students in more than 30 Houston-area school districts.
Mangum steered the Symphony through the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the organization effectively established industry precedent on a safe return to in-person performances, and also created cutting-edge digital programming with original content that reached nearly two million people in all 50 U.S. states and 40 countries.Throughout his career, Mangum has joined forces with several of the most celebrated conductors and music directors. As Director of Artistic Planning at the San Francisco Symphony from 2011-2014, Mangum worked with famed Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas to realize the Symphony’s overall artistic vision. Major initiatives included the Symphony’s Centennial Season in 2011/12; annual thematic festivals; artist and composer residencies; the first-ever concert performances of West Side Story, recorded for commercial release; productions of Britten’s Peter Grimes, Beethoven’s Fidelio, Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, and John Cage’s Songbooks, the last at Carnegie Hall; and tours in Asia, the United States, and Europe.
He served as Artistic Administrator of the New York Philharmonic from 2009-2011, where he helped to shape the Philharmonic’s artistic profile. Major initiatives included productions of Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre and Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, both directed and designed by Doug Fitch; Philharmonic 360 at the Park Avenue Armory; and Sondheim: The 80th Birthday Concert and Company, both televised by PBS’s Great Performances.
Mangum held various roles during an eight-year run at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, from 1999-2007, including Artistic Administrator and Artistic Planning Manager. As Artistic Planning Manager and Artistic Administrator, he worked with leadership and guest artists on the full range of the Philharmonic’s programming, with primary responsibility for the orchestra’s classical programs at the Hollywood Bowl and its highly regarded Green Umbrella new music series.
“John is a 21st-century performing arts leader with unmatched experience and acumen in the classical music space,” says Bryan Traubert, Co-Chair of the Search Committee. “His executive superpower is understanding the needs of an arts organization, its musicians, staff, donors, and community members, and developing comprehensive programs to address each of their needs, maximize efficiencies, and jumpstart strategic change. During our search process, we intentionally looked for a leader who understands the classical music industry holistically, prioritizes the needs of artists, upholds artistic integrity, and finds ways to distill and drive connections between arts organizations and their communities.”
“John’s warmth, intellectual curiosity, and deep artistic knowledge make us incredible partners and a powerful creative team,” says Enrique Mazzola. “We share a passion for making art at the highest levels, exploring new and traditional repertoire with a fresh perspective, in service to all of Chicago’s vibrant communities and beyond. I know that John’s extensive experience and innovative spirit will allow for dynamic collaboration for years to come and imbue every member of our company with a sense of excitement and vigor. I am very eager to get started!”
Prior to his appointment at the Houston Symphony, Mangum served as President and Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County from 2014-2018, where he provided artistic and executive leadership for a major presenter of touring orchestras, ensembles, and soloists.
Mangum, 49, holds a doctorate in history with a field of musicology, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in history, from the University of California, Los Angeles. His academic work looks at the spread of Italian opera in 18th-century German-speaking Central Europe.
Mangum succeeds Anthony Freud, who is retiring after 13 years as General Director, President & CEO at Lyric.
The Lyric Opera of Chicago will open their 2024/2025 season with Rigoletto on Saturday September 14. Ahead of opening night gala, music and culture lovers are invited to celebrate the start of Chicago’s cultural season with a melodic evening under the stars. Lyric’s annual free concert, Sunday in the Park with Lyric, takes place on August 25, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.
photo credit: Photo: Kyle Flubacker
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