Following months of theatre closures, the opera sector takes the opportunity to reboot. On 25 October, opera companies and opera lovers around the globe celebrate World Opera Day.
The third edition of World Opera Day will take place in a challenging context as theatres around the world resume activity. Former production models have been challenged, and many have invested thought and time in re-inventing themselves to embody their roles as responsible actors of society. Opera companies are re-opening with new ambitions. This year’s theme of Opera Reboot focuses on 3 main strands:
- Jobs for the next generation of talent
- Equal opportunities
- Green opera
These commitments translate into local initiatives and activities to increase each opera company’s impact on its community. From rooftop concerts to highlighting particular efforts in sustainability, follow #WorldOperaDay on social media on 25 October to witness Opera Reboot across the world.
Opera Europa, the European association of opera companies and festivals, has followed through to support these strands for its own professional stakeholders – opera companies and artists.
Opera Management Course
For World Opera Day, Opera Europa announces its intake for this season’s Opera Management Course, nurturing a diverse workforce and building careers for the leaders of tomorrow. Read more here about the eighth edition of the Opera Management Course and the 21 selected participants.
OperaVision
Opera Europa’s free streaming platform OperaVision, co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme, will offer a day full of contributions from young artist programmes from Tokyo, Paris, London, Hannover, Amsterdam, Warsaw and Rome.
As preview of World Opera Day, 3 special performances: New National Theatre Tokyo’s Carmen directed by Àlex Ollé and conducted by Kazushi Ono; the final concert of the Azerbaijan International Opera Festival concert live from Baku on 20 October; and Staatsoper Hannover and Dutch National Opera’s young artists performance during Expo Dubai 2020 to celebrate EU Honor Day live on 23 October. And to close the celebrations, an extract of the award-winning film The Maestro by Thailand’s Opera Siam available from 1 November. Read about the full OperaVision programme and follow the streams here.
Next Stage
This is also the opportunity for Opera Europa and FEDORA, the European circle of philanthropists of Opera and Ballet, to launch NEXT STAGE, an initiative which will financially contribute to the development of projects in the fields of Sustainability, Equality and Digital Transformation. Read more here about the project and find out about the current state of the field and its ambitions for the future, as analysed by pro-bono partner Kearney.
Freedom and Music for Afghanistan
Opera Europa and ECHO, the European Concert Hall Organisation, are the two main initiators of a charter in support of Freedom and Music for Afghanistan, co-signed by 42 organisations. This initiative is also the opportunity to highlight a special creation by The Airport Society – Unknown, I live with you – an opera inspired by poems by Afghan women written under the Taliban regime. Read the full charter and the list of signatories here.
World Opera Day was launched as a joint initiative of Ópera Latinoamérica, OPERA America and Opera Europa and is also supported by international partners as well as national opera networks. Visit www.worldoperaday.com for more information.
