[1] In 1987, he founded the Birmingham Opera Company and remained its artistic director.

[3][4] Vick's productions with Birmingham Opera included the first UK production of Othello to feature a black tenor in the title role in 2009,[5] and the 2012 world premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's notoriously difficult Mittwoch aus Licht.

[8] Vick was awarded as Knight of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, as Honorary Professor of Music at the University of Birmingham, and as International Chair of Opera at the Royal Northern College of Music.

[7] Vick was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours[9] and knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to music and the regions.

[10] Many of Vick's productions can be seen on DVD including Lulu (Glyndebourne, 2004) Warner Music Vision B000189L10, and Falstaff (Covent Garden, 2001) Opus Arte B00005NUP8.