Opera North appoints Minhaz Abedin as youngest trustee

Opera North has announced the appointment of charity CEO Minhaz Abedin to its Board of Trustees. At 24, Abedin is the youngest trustee in the Company's history. He joins the Board of Opera North’s existing thirteen Trustees, led by chair Paul Lee OBE and vice chairs Renee Hunt and Rosie Millard OBE. Trustees can serve for up to three three-year terms.

In 2019, less than a year after graduating from Lancaster University, Minhaz was appointed as the CEO of music charity Future Talent. Prior to this, Abedin began a career in advocacy at the age of 11 by lobbying his MP for improved youth service funding in his hometown of Leeds. He was elected a member of the UK Youth Parliament at 13 and addressed the United Nations General Assembly as the UK’s youth delegate at 18.

Richard Mantle, Opera North’s general director/CEO, said: ‘As we prepare to bring together South Asian and Western traditions in our reimagining of Monteverdi’s Orpheus this autumn, we’re excited to see how Minhaz’s vast experience as an advocate for marginalised voices can help us to bring the magic of live performance to new audiences.’

The Company programmes performances at its home in central Leeds, the Howard Assembly Room and in the nearby towns of Huddersfield and Dewsbury during the Kirklees Concert Season.

Abedin said: ‘Having grown up in Leeds and admired the progress of the Company for many years, I am delighted to have the opportunity to further its commitment to ‘Extraordinary experiences every day’ through music and opera. I hope that together we can entice a new generation of supporters to Opera North.’

You can find out more about Opera North here.