Elizabeth Sweeting

Elizabeth Sweeting (1914-1999) was a leader in performing arts and arts administration in England and Australia.

Biography

She was born 19 November 1914 in London. After receiving a scholarship she graduated from Royal Holloway College, University of London, with a BA(Hons) and a Masters degree.[1]

Sweeting joined English Opera Group in 1947 as their deputy manager. Concurrently she became general manager of the Aldeburgh Festival.[2] Living in Oxford for 30 years, she was general manager of the Oxford Playhouse between 1956[3] to 1961, subsequently acting as secretary till 1976.[1]

Sweeting devoted many years to caring for her mother, who died in 1974.[1] While visiting Adelaide, Australia, as a visiting professor in 1974, she was invited to become a consultant to the South Australia new Arts Council.[1] She was director until 1981, establishing Australia's first arts management graduate courses. She returned to the UK in 1981[2] and retired in 1985 to Ironbridge, Shropshire.

She died following a heart attack on 7 December 1999.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 John D. Haigh. "Sweeting, Elizabeth Jane". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Paul Iles (11 December 1999). "Elizabeth Sweeting: Behind the scenes, she fostered theatrical success". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Chapman, Don (2008), Oxford Playhouse: High and Low Drama in a University City, Berlin: University of Hertfordshire Press, pp. 163,172, ISBN 978-1-902806-86-0