Jesús Iglesias Noriega proposed to fill the position of artistic director of Les Arts

The evaluation committee for the selection of candidates aspiring to obtain the Artistic Direction of Les Arts has concluded the selection process following the Code of Good Practices in Valencian Culture.

It's worth remembering that each candidate submitted a project outlining their artistic vision and management plan. This proposal also had to include plans for the next two opera seasons, as well as the overall strategy until the contract's expiration. Each proposal was required to address all of Les Arts' performance spaces and encompass not only opera but also music, choreography, and all other forms of theater.

They also requested guidelines to ensure that Les Arts is a space for internationalization and operatic excellence, that the use of the space is maximized with respect to all disciplines, and that there is a symphonic proposal from the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, as well as a proposal for the projection of the Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo and a defined project for the technical, educational and training team.

Of all the applications, the one that has obtained the highest score from the evaluation committee has been that of Jesús Iglesias Noriega and, therefore, will be the proposal that the evaluation committee will forward to be appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Valencian opera house as artistic director of Les Arts and the incorporation into his job will be determined.

The evaluation committee has deemed Jesús Iglesias Noriega's curriculum vitae and project the most suitable to assume the Artistic Direction of Les Arts, due to the candidate's specific training, as well as his musical knowledge, international experience and experience in educational projects; his ability to adapt to the current artistic model of Les Arts; his capacity for artistic and management innovation; his team leadership skills; a proven national and international network and networking in the field of opera houses; his public relations skills in the opera world; and his management knowledge and economic vision for programming to design economically sustainable content.

Professional career of Jesús Iglesias Noriega

Director of the artistic department of the Dutch National Opera & Ballet of the Netherlands, he has also been artistic coordinator of the Teatro Real in Madrid between 2002 and 2012, as well as assistant to the Artistic and Musical Director of this between 1997 and 2001. Previously he collaborated in the Artistic Direction of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

Jesús Iglesias Noriega (Gijón, 1971) holds a Master's degree in Cultural Management of Music, Theatre and Dance from the Complutense University of Madrid and has also been a piano professor at the Oviedo Higher Conservatory of Music and Dance. He also holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Oviedo.

She has participated in several seminars dedicated to opera, management and lyric production and artistic management in the world of opera, and has been a jury member for different opera competitions throughout Europe.

Members of the evaluation committee

It should be noted that the Les Arts Foundation selected the members of the evaluation committee for the various applications. This committee consisted of nine members, as stipulated by the Code of Good Practices in Valencian Culture. Three were institutional representatives; three were experts in the world of opera and culture; and three were representatives of civil society.

Regarding the world of opera and culture, the event featured Christina Scheppelmann, artistic director of the Liceu in Barcelona; Joan Matabosch, artistic director of the Teatro Real in Madrid; and Ana Luisa Chova, professor of singing at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de València.

The representatives of civil society were Pablo Font de Mora, president of Amics de l'Òpera i de les Arts de la Comunitat Valenciana; Ramon Roselló, from the Valencian Culture Council, and Vicent Ros, director of the Palau de la Música de València.

Susana Lloret, president of the Board of Trustees of Les Arts; Marga Landete, deputy director of Music and Popular Culture of the IVC, and José Villar, undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, Research, Culture and Sport, have formed the institutional representation of the evaluation committee.

Contract characteristics

The person appointed to fill the position will sign a senior management contract, which will last for 4 years, extendable for another 4 years through a performance evaluation process.

The gross annual salary will be between 120,000 and 135,000 euros, depending on the assigned duties.