Chief Executive and Artistic Director
Cameron Menzies
Australian born Stage Director, Cameron Menzies works consistently across Opera, Music Theatre, Theatre, Cabaret and with many International Festivals. His work has been seen throughout Australia, United Kingdom, Europe, USA, South Africa, Japan and China. He has worked for Shakespeare’s Globe, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Malthouse Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Short Black Opera Company, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He is also the Associate Artist (Direction) for Diva Opera UK.
General Manager
Laura Salt
Laura studied Music at the University of Ulster and later completed her PGCE in Music back at UU. She has previously worked with Camerata Ireland, the Ulster Youth Orchestra and New Irish Arts. Laura has a passion for young people in the arts and this is evident in her long association with the Education Authority Music Service and the Northern Ireland Concert Band. As a freelance horn player, Laura has supported many ensembles in Northern Ireland and is a founding member of all female horn quartet ‘CODA Horns’.
Head of Marketing and Development
Julia O’Hara
Julia read English at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and spent more than a decade working in book publishing in London specialising in marketing at Macmillan Publishers (working primarily on The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians and The Grove Dictionary of Art), and International Rights and Special Sales at Virgin Books and Phaidon Press.
Since moving to Belfast, Julia worked in marketing in the property industry before joining NI Opera in 2018
Production and Events Coordinator
Matthew Bradley
Matthew studied Film at Queen’s University Belfast, going on to further study Media Techniques through BBC.
He has previously worked with BBC and Cahoots NI, as well as working with local and international arts festivals like Belfast Film Festival and Milwaukee Irish Fest.
After this he took a few years out of the arts to work as part of the accounts team at Specialist Group, developing his financial skills. Matthew enjoys film, music and theatre and with this love for the arts, joined NI Opera in 2024.
Schools Outreach Coordinator
India Chapman-Webb
India graduated in singing and flute from the Conservatoire of Music, Paris, then a Masters in Early Music Vocal Studies at the Accademia Internazionale delle Arti in Rome.
For the last 15 years, India has worked as a professional singer and a music educator in France, Belgium, England and Northern Ireland. India teaches voice and flute at Hunterhouse College and conducts Belfast City Chorus Songbirds, Belfast City Chorus HMP Hydebank and the award-winning EA CBSM Chorale. Contact India at outreach@niopera.com
The Schools Outreach Coordinator part-time role is made possible by funding from The Foyle Foundation from 2024 to 2025.
Community Outreach Coordinator
Bobbi Rai-Purdy
Bobbi has worked with groups of all ages, abilities and backgrounds delivering Visual Arts and Drama Workshops in Belfast for 30 years. Her work includes intergenerational projects, working with older people, young people, children, with schools and residential groups, and organisations. Bobbi is working as Community Outreach Coordinator with Northern Ireland Opera from 2024/25 delivering opportunities for the community to engage in the opera experience and making it accessible to all. – if you’d be interested in taking part or finding out more about our programmes, please get in touch with Bobbi by emailing community@niopera.com
The Community Outreach Coordinator part-time role is made possible by funding from The Foyle Foundation from 2024 to 2025.
Our Patron
Sean Rafferty
Sean Rafferty was born in Belfast and brought up in Newcastle, Co. Down. He studied law at Queen’s University. Belfast, and soon after began his career in broadcasting. Sean is a respected arts broadcaster, having presented a variety of radio and television programmes on BBC Radio 3, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Ulster. Since 1997 Sean has been the regular presenter of In Tune on Radio 3.
The Board
Roy Bailie CBE Chairman
Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE Vice-Chairman
Gavin Boyd
Ken Lindsay
Richard McBride
Professor Dolores O’Reilly
Mairéad Regan
Karen Shearer
Jane Wells MBE