Thangam Debbonaire, former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has been named as the inaugural Chief Executive of a new trade body representing the UK’s opera sector, UK Opera Association (UKOA), which launched on 24th October.
The new organisation brings together an initial group of 20 opera companies, including Royal Ballet and Opera, English National Opera, Garsington Opera, Glyndebourne, Scottish Opera, Streetwise Opera and Opera North. The aim is to strengthen opera across the whole of the UK.
UKOA will act as a collective voice for the UK opera sector, aiming to ensure opera continues to evolve, reach wider audiences, and play a meaningful role in the UK’s cultural and economic landscape.
Baroness Debbonaire, a trained classical musician, lost her seat as the Labour MP for Bristol West in the 2024 UK General Election. She has since taken a Life Peerage in the House of Lords. “I’m delighted to bring my professional background in music and my experience in policy-making and politics to serve this cause, as well as my deep and lifelong connections to opera in particular,” she said on Friday, after she was named the organisation’s first CEO.
UKOA membership is open to opera companies and organisations across the UK. The founding companies of UKOA have received an Arts Council England grant of £25,000 towards set up and initial running costs, before membership fees become payable in early 2026.
