Carolyn Chard has an eclectic taste in music; she is moved equally by the heavy beat of dance music or the gentle and beautiful melodies that speak to the soul. However it is the power of the classics and great composers of Opera that propel her through her work day as the Executive Director of West Australian Opera.

The company was formed in 1967 and works in close association with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Ms Chard has steered the company for nearly two decades following various arts management positions around the country.

Roles at Opera Australia, and Deckchair Theatre and Barking Gecko in WA, nurtured a great passion for the power of theatre. These positions followed her completion of the Arts Management degree at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Informing her decision to pursue Arts Management was her early producing forays in fashion and the rave scene. Working in the banking industry also provided terrific grounding; eclectic experiences indeed, that help to shape the practitioner and guide the artistic journey.

Career paths are always fascinating and the rewards can be most satisfying. Ms Chard talks with great candour about her unique journey to arrive at the helm of WA's triumphant Opera Company.

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