It was great to catch up with Queensland Symphony Orchestra  CEO Yarmila Alfonzetti, during the monumental Brisbane production of (not just) the Ring Cycle but also Aida (which was being performed on alternate nights). This was a mammoth undertaking for both organisations and a landmark performance event in recent history.

Yarmila has held some major leadership roles in Australian arts companies, including Sydney Youth Orchestras and the State Opera of South Australia, before leading the QSO since 2022.

She spoke to Sam about the state of cultural leadership in Australia, picking up from Wesley Enoch’s eponymous Platform Paper, Take Me To Your Leader (2014). She discussed legacy, purpose, role and how she has used her leadership brand to turn around organisations and lead cultural change.

Links

Queensland Symphony Orchestra

https://qso.com.au/

Opera Australia / QSO: The Ring Cycle

https://qso.com.au/events/2023/featured/the-ring-cycle

Take me to your leader : the dilemma of cultural leadership / Wesley Enoch

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/6538552

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Presenter and research: Sam Cairnduff

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