Anthony Freud biography
General Director, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Anthony Freud, 53, became Lyric Opera of Chicago’s general director starting October 1, 2011, opening night of the company’s 57th season. He was chosen after an eight-month international search led by Lyric’s executive vice-president, Kenneth G. Pigott, who is now Lyric’s president and CEO.
The London native is the fourth general director in Lyric’s 57-year history. Carol Fox, the company’s founding general director (1954-80), was succeeded by Ardis Krainik (1981-97), who in turn was succeeded by William Mason (1997-present). Mason, 69, becomes general director emeritus at the beginning of the 2011-12 season, and will continue to serve the company through the season as consultant.
Freud is widely recognized for his achievements as general director of both Houston Grand Opera (2006-2011) and Welsh National Opera (1994-2005). In both positions Freud has been hailed for spearheading important artistic initiatives, impressive increases in attendance and fundraising, and visionary community-engagement programs to reach diverse new audiences.
Current chairman of OPERA America and former chairman of Opera Europa, Freud is the only person ever to have served as chairman of both organizations. He chaired the jury for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition (1995-2005) and was also a board member of the National Opera Studio in London (1994-2005). He has served on the juries of numerous international singing competitions. Freud was an executive producer for Philips Classics (1992-94), where he managed recording projects for some of the world’s leading classical artists. He was director of opera planning for Welsh National Opera (1988-92), and was previously company secretary (1984-88). Freud began his professional life at London’s famous Sadler’s Wells Theatre (1980-84), where his duties included those of theater manager and company manager.
Freud has been made an honorary fellow of Cardiff University (2004) an honorary fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (2005), and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), in recognition of his services to music, by Queen Elizabeth II in her 80th Birthday Honors (2006). From 2004-05 Freud was the trustee representing both Wales and the performing arts for the UK’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), a $500 million national endowment promoting talent and creativity.
Freud was born and raised in London by immigrant parents, both of whom were born in Hungary. His father came to the UK as a refugee in 1939 and his mother was a survivor of Auschwitz. He attended his first opera at age four, became a regular operagoer in his teens, and has said that by the time he was 14 he knew he wanted to run an opera company. Freud graduated with honors with a law degree from the University of London King’s College in 1978 and qualified as an attorney in 1979, but chose instead to follow his passion for opera.