Angela Birdsell to Renew Contract with WSO

The Board of Directors of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is pleased to announce that Angela Birdsell has renewed her contract with the orchestra for a two-year period, effective April 1, 2026.

She will assume the expanded role of Chief Executive Officer, WSO and Pantages. The re-appointment comes as the organization moves forward with its project to renovate the historic Pantages theatre into a modern, 1,080-seat performing arts facility serving the WSO and other performing arts and community groups.

In her new capacity, Birdsell will report to the WSO Board and to the Board of the Performing Arts Consortium of Winnipeg (PAC) as she continues to support business planning, the fundraising campaign, and the successful execution of the project with both organizations.

Curt Vossen is Chair of the WSO Board of Directors and sits on the Board of the Performing Arts Consortium of Winnipeg Inc., a non-profit charitable organization established in 1996 for the purpose of stewarding the Pantages Theatre. The PAC took ownership of the venue in July 2022 and is working on its re-development in collaboration with the WSO, which will become co-owner and managing tenant once the venue is opened.

“Angela has demonstrated clarity of vision and a deep commitment to both the WSO and the future of the Pantages Project,” stated Vossen. “As we look ahead to an ambitious period of growth, including the realization of Pantages, we are confident that Angela’s steady guidance will continue to move the WSO forward in a meaningful way for both the organization and for our community.”

The WSO and PAC view the leadership model as one that meets the opportunities and challenges ahead for the orchestra and is very much in the spirit of the collaborative and transparent partnership maintained by the two entities since 2011.

“Through diverse and innovative programming and marketing, the WSO has successfully transcended the post-pandemic challenges, attracting new audiences, donors and government support,” said Vossen. “As we move towards a future in a new venue, the WSO’s performances, operations and programs must continue to grow with a view to the tremendous opportunities this project presents.”

Birdsell was appointed as Executive Director of the WSO in July 2021 for a five-year term. The appointment to her new capacity comes toward the end of that contract.

“We are now poised and ready to move confidently into the next phase of creating beautiful experiences in the performing arts for all to enjoy, including in Pantages,” said Birdsell. “I’m excited and proud to continue this work with the PAC and alongside the amazing team at the WSO.”

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra is widely viewed as a world-class orchestra producing close to 70 events in many types of music, including local artists such as Don Amero and Jason Burnstick and world-renowned Manitobans such as James Ehnes, Tracy Dahl and Crash Test Dummies. Its programs range from North America’s only orchestral new music festival, to classics, kids shows, movies with orchestra, popular bands, and events such as the 2026 Brawl at the Hall, the world’s first known wrestling match with orchestra.

In 2025-26, the WSO sold out close to 20 events in large and small venues, including the Stewart Copeland weekend and Police Deranged for Orchestra, Murdoch Mysteries in Concert – Murder in F Major, and The Music of Studio Ghibli to name a few.

“In early February we had three different sell-out shows in the span of four days with 55% of attendees having never attended a WSO event”, said Birdsell. “This tells us that people come downtown when the offering excites them, and that they crave the live performing arts for a sense of connection that the on-screen environment simply cannot provide. Experiencing live music can provide the kind of inspiration, joy and vitality that is felt only when people gather. This is what the live performing arts bring to Winnipeg and the Pantages project will become a catalyst for a downtown performing arts renaissance.”