Perryn Leech
Perryn Leech joined the Canadian Opera Company as its General Director in March 2021. Born in Brighton, England, he has dedicated more than 35 years to the performing arts industry in both the technical and administration fields. He began his career with the Glyndebourne Festival, served as Head of Lighting at the Edinburgh International Festival, before joining English National Opera and then becoming the Technical Director at Welsh National Opera.Prior to joining the COC, he was Managing Director at Houston Grand Opera (HGO), where he previously served as Technical and Production Director, and Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure at HGO, he successfully led the company through the devastating impact and aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, rallying the company, performers, patrons, supporters, and the wider community in an uplifting, city-wide effort to create an alternate performance venue, appropriately named the “Resilience Theater.”
Throughout his career, Leech has encouraged a collaborative and inclusive approach to increasing access to opera and also a wider understanding of the art form. He has championed low-cost ticketing programs for students and new audiences and helped develop deeper creative relationships and partnerships with diverse communities.
Leech enjoys spending time with his family and is extremely proud of his three amazing children, who he confidently predicts will far surpass his own achievements. Their rescue dog, George, literally and emotionally completes the family. He is a massive sports fan and a particularly avid supporter of the Arsenal football team.
Perryn Leech (2019), photo by Lynn Lane
