PHOTO: © A. Bofill – Fundació Òpera a Catalunya

Opera is an art form that has endured over the centuries, transporting viewers to different worlds of emotion, passion and drama, leaving its mark on the history of humankind by driving its cultural heritage and fostering artistic talent. At the Banco Sabadell Foundation we collaborate with projects spearheaded by leading institutions that promote the creation of opera, provide opportunities for young talents and bring culture closer to different audiences throughout Spain. To celebrate World Opera Day, we highlight some of these below:

• Mirna Lacambra competition to access the professional training course offered by the Escola d’Òpera de Sabadell:This competition to gain access to the courses offered by the Escola d’Òpera de Sabadell was created in 1996, as an embodiment of the institution’s philosophy of supporting and promoting young opera singers. The aim of this scheme is to give students comprehensive training to prepare them for all that a good opera performance entails. The students selected in the competition will perform at Sabadell’s La Faràndula theatre, after rehearsals with the orchestra, in the same production put on in parallel by professional artists as part of the “Òpera a Catalunya” opera cycle, which this year will be Romeo and Juliet.

• “Òpera a Catalunya” cycle by Fundació Òpera Catalunya: This cycle brings opera performances to a wider variety of audiences across Catalonia, involving several different people, facilities, cities and districts. The 2023-2024 season, which was launched on 18 October, will consist of four stage performances (Romeo and Juliet, Doña Francisquita, Manon Lescaut and Turandot) taking place in Sabadell, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Manresa, Granollers, Reus, Girona, Vic, Tarragona, Lleida, Viladecans, Figueres, Barcelona and Cornellà de Llobregat.

• “Óh!Pera. Microóperas de nueva creación” by Fundación Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona): Oh!pera is a project spearheaded by the Gran Teatre del Liceu in which three small-scale operas will be designed and performed in a single evening. A group of teams of young creators, selected with the assistance of four of Barcelona’s design schools, work together for over a year to design these fast-paced operas that are around 30 minutes long. More in Liceu Plus: https://liceuplus.com/s/oh-pera
• “Crescendo. Creamos ópera” by Fundación Amigos del Teatro Real (Madrid): This is a national programme that offers training and professional opportunities to promising young individuals in the area of opera creation under a commitment to promote a diverse and inclusive artistic ecosystem. The programme consists of four levels: artistic training and cross-cutting skills, meetings with each of the professionals involved in opera creation, practical sessions linked to one of the productions of the Teatro Real, and work opportunities.

• ÓPERA(ciónGar)CÍA at the Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla): This new proposal from the Teatro de la Maestranza seeks to bring opera closer to all audiences, with live music, unique instruments and interactive entertainment in a fun yet educational environment. In this performance, conceived as a whodunnit, multi-instrumentalists and music educators from Vibra-Tó play two intrepid, zany detectives who, together with the audience, embark on a mission to solve the mystery of ÓPERA(ciónGar)CÍA.