Opera leader to step down after 15 years
Perryn Leech is stepping down from his role as managing director ofHouston Grand Opera, leaving a significant hole in the city’s arts scene upon his departure at year’s end.
Leech spent nearly 15 years in the Houston arts scene starting when he joined Houston Grand Opera as a technical and production director in 2006. He rose quickly at HGO, serving as chief operating officer starting in 2010 and less than a year later taking over as the company’s managing director.
In a statement, HGO board chair Allyn Risely thanked Leech “for his strong leadership, his positive determination and his sense of humor.”
Leech plans to assist Houston Grand Opera as it transitions into new leadership.
Leech’s time with Houston Grand Opera found him overseeing the organization throughmultiple crises. He was in charge whenHGOand theWortham Theatre Center was washed out by Hurricane Harvey. And he has overseen HGO during a difficult 2020, when the organization went dark through closures because of the pandemic.
“Houston GrandOpera is an extraordinary and special company and it has been a huge privilege to co-lead it through some amazing, and some challenging times,” Leech said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of my colleagues for their outstanding work. I wish the company a bright future and I will continue to be amongst HGO’s biggest fans.”
Leech did not return calls for comment.
A native of Brighton in England, Leech came to HGO from the Welsh National Opera, where he served five years as technical director. He’d previously spent four years as production manager at the English National Opera.
His ties to the Houston arts scene ran deep into the city’s art scene, far beyond HGO. He was chairman of the board for Theater District Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner tapped Leech as his an appointee for his Quality of Life Transition Committee.
Through good times and bad, Leech was engaged with the opera community in Houston. He was omnipresent at HGO presentations, no matter their location, and greeted patrons regularly.
Like all arts organizations, Houston Grand Opera has had to dramatically alter its usual pro
gramming in 2020 with the pandemic. With Leech at the helm, it launched HGO Digital and other programs with the intention of keeping Houston opera enthusiasts engaged during a period where theWortham Theater Center was dark.
According to HGO, the leadership structure at the company is undergoing change. Leech and artistic andmusic director Patrick Summers shared leadership responsibility and reported to HGO’s board of directors.
HGO plans to launch a search committee for a general director who will oversee HGO with Summers reporting to that director.