Mena Mark Hanna has been named general director of Charleston's Spoleto Festival USA. | Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Mena Mark Hanna has been named general director of Charleston's Spoleto Festival USA. | Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Spoleto Festival USA has a new leader, as officials of the 17-day major performing arts festival held each spring in Charleston recently announced the appointment of Mena Mark Hanna as general director.
Hanna was chosen to head the nonprofit festival after a 10-month international search. He succeeds Nigel Redden, who announced his retirement from the post after 35 years.
“Guess I can break the news,” tweeted Hanna. “I’m deeply humbled to lead Spoleto USA. I will try to constantly center artists who are unseen and unheard through the festival. I can’t wait to get to work.”
While last year's event was canceled due to the pandemic, this past spring's offering was successfully staged May 28-June 13.
Next year's festival under Hanna's guidance is slated for May 27-June 12.
Founded in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti, the festival was intended to become a counterpart to a similar festival staged in Italy, the Festival dei Del Monde, held each year in the town of Spoleto, Italy, a city of 38,000 north of Rome.
Charleston was selected to host the event because of its compact and historic downtown, making it easy for visitors to walk from one venue to the next.
Held in the city's historic buildings, churches and outdoor spaces, the festival features established and new artists who perform opera, dance, theater, classical music and jazz.
Hannah was a founding dean of the Barenboim-Said Akademie, a prestigious music school in Berlin, Germany, and is a professor of music and composition. He is a first-generation American of Egyptian heritage and his special knowledge includes Middle Eastern Chant, music of the 20th and 21st centuries, performance traditions, composition and electronic music.
According to a report in the Post and Courier, Alicia Gregory, president of the Spoleto board, called Hanna the ideal appointment.
“Mena possesses a depth of knowledge and experience across artistic genres, and also — essential for Spoleto and Charleston — understands and is passionate about the power of artistic expression to bridge differences and bring people together,” Gregory told the Post and Courier.
Hanna will assume his general director duties in October.
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