John Mangum, a seasoned arts administrator who has headed the Houston Symphony Orchestra since 2018, has been named general director, president and chief executive officer of Lyric Opera of Chicago, the organization announced Wednesday. He is set to begin his duties this fall.
“This is one of the great opera companies in our country, really in the world, with a storied legacy,” Mangum said, “so the chance to come and be part of writing the next chapter of Lyric’s history was something that was really appealing to me.”
The 49-year-old California native takes over for Anthony Freud, who stepped down in June after 13 years in the position. Unlike Freud, who served as general director of the Houston Grand Opera and Welsh National Opera before coming to Chicago, Mangum has never previously held a position with an opera company.
Most of his experience has come with stints for five orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and currently the Houston Symphony, with opera being part of the offerings along the way. He also served as president and artistic director of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County from 2014-2018.
“These are all big, complex performing arts organizations,” Mangum said, “with a lot moving parts, whether it’s a symphony orchestra or an opera company, so I feel like there is more in common than there are differences. The skill set is not as dissimilar as some people might think.”
He first became an opera fan as teenager in Danville, Calif., a town not far from San Francisco, listening to recordings from the library and those he bought by mail from Columbia House. In addition, he wrote his doctoral dissertation in musicology on the role and popularity of Italian opera in Berlin in the second half of the 18th century.
“I do think that the academic background that I have,” he said, “but also just the love of the art form and a certain depth of knowledge around repertoire, singers, directors and productions, will set me in good stead for the role.”
As executive director and CEO at the Houston Symphony, Mangum oversaw a 50-percent growth in its endowment and secured $60 million in capital gifts for the first major renovation of Jones Hall, the orchestra’s home since 1966.
“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,” Sylvia Neil, Lyric’s board chair, said in a press statement.
Mangum believes that the biggest challenge facing Lyric, like many other major performing arts organizations, is finding new audiences and rebuilding its attendance in the aftermath of the COVID-19 shutdown. “I believe all the ingredients are there to make that connection and bring those new audiences in,” he said.
Lyric’s principal offerings have dropped from eight mainstage operas and one Broadway production in 2018-19 to six mainstage operas in 2024-25.
“I think that is definitely what everybody is working toward at Lyric — getting back to more work throughout the year,” Mangum said.
