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15/06/21

News

New Trustee Announcement

We are delighted to announce that Ava Podgorski and Katie Bradford have joined our Board of Trustees

Every­one at Mahogany is thrilled to be wel­com­ing Ava and Katie to join the board. They bring with them an array of skills and expe­ri­ence and a pas­sion for inclu­sive, bound­ary stretch­ing opera that will be a huge asset to Mahogany now and into the future. We have increased the num­ber of trustees in this cal­en­dar year from four to eight. The entire process has been deeply enrich­ing for the organ­i­sa­tion and, we believe, will stand us in good stead for the many oppor­tu­ni­ties and chal­lenges that lie ahead.
Pen­ny Jonas, Fred­er­ic Wake-Walk­er and the trustees of Mahogany Opera
I am thrilled to be appoint­ed to the Board of Trustees for Mahogany Opera Group. Hav­ing been involved with the Young Trustees Move­ment as an aspir­ing trustee I was hon­oured to be con­sid­ered by the Mahogany team for this posi­tion. As a young, north­ern woman who grew up in a rur­al com­mu­ni­ty with very lit­tle aware­ness of opera, I whole­heart­ed­ly want to ensure opera, and oth­er diverse cul­tur­al expe­ri­ences, are avail­able for peo­ple across the UK, no mat­ter their post­code. Mahogany is mak­ing great strides in ensur­ing the future of opera is diverse and inclu­sive, and I am excit­ed to help in their mis­sion to stretch the bound­aries of what opera can be and who it is for.
Ava Pod­gors­ki
I’m excit­ed to join the board of Mahogany Opera. At a time when the per­for­mance arts are under threat after the des­o­la­tion of the pan­dem­ic, whilst sore­ly need­ed to sup­port the well­be­ing of the coun­try, it’s thrilling to see how Mahogany Opera has reached new audi­ences, online and in live per­for­mance. The company’s Snap­py Operas are a mod­el of inclu­siv­i­ty, spark­ing joy in opera in school­child­ren across the UK. Mahogany Opera stretch­es the bound­aries of opera, and invites every­one to take part. I look for­ward to sup­port­ing the com­pa­ny with its bold ambitions.
Katie Brad­ford

Ava Podgorski developed a love for music, especially singing, and theatre from an early age. Upon seeing her first opera (Britten’s The Turn of the Screw) while at 6th form, she quickly fell for the dynamic artform, and went on to study Music to Postgraduate level at the University of Manchester, with opera at the centre of her music inquiry. With diverse professional experience in the arts, charity and education sectors, Ava is passionate about making opera accessible for all and champions operatic innovation through radical adaptation and new works.

Katie Bradford was introduced to classical music at her state schools, where she discovered her lifelong love of choral singing and learnt to play the recorder and the double bass. Her first experience of opera was at University College, London, where she studied law and sang in the chorus of their annual opera productions. She was a litigation solicitor in the City of London, for 40 years and newly retired, can now indulge her passion for the performance arts in the audience, and use her skills as a Trustee of Mahogany Opera.

Mahogany Opera is committed to collaborative and inclusive ways of working. We know opera can be, and is widely perceived as, a form of culture that upholds systemic injustices rather than challenging them. It does not have to be that way. We endeavour to create work that is open and welcoming to everyone who wants to participate. If you are interested in hearing more about our work and how to get involved please contact ally@mahoganyopera.co.uk - we'd love to hear from you.

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