Beijing Forum for Performing Arts 2019 is hosted by the National Centre for the Performing Arts of China in Beijing from June 21st to 23rd under the theme of “Exchange and Cooperation for Experience Sharing and Win- Win Outcomes” . The forum, with the discussions on New Philosophies of Theatre Operations and Management, Art Education and Audience Development and The Road Ahead for Artistic Creations and Productions, is designed to promote joint discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing the development of theatres and performing arts around the world, and for participants to share experiences, strengthen exchanges and seek win- win results.
The former Teatro Colón functioned from 1857 to 1888, closing in that year in order to start the construction of the current building, which was inaugurated on May 25th, 1908 on Avenida 9 de Julio close to the traditional Obelisco. Since then, it became a symbol of Buenos Aires and Argentina. Its mission is to offer the most exquisite productions of opera, ballet, concerts and experimentation on its stage, while also training young talents in its Superior Institute of Art, who will shine in its hall and around the world.
In its beginnings, the Colón used to engage foreign companies for its seasons. In 1925 the resident companies were created: the Choir, the Ballet and the Orchestra, one of the oldest symphonic groups of Argentina. In the 50’s, as an icon of the city, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra was established bringing together excellent instrumentalists. In the 30’s, the construction of its own scenery workshops allowed it to arrange its own seasons. Since then, the Teatro Colón has been established as a season theatre or stagione.
After more than three years of complete restoration, since 2010, the Teatro Colón exhibits its entire original splendor. It’s athe pride of Argentine culture and it has set a milestone for opera, dance and academic music in the world. Now, a policy of new subscriptions, non-headquarters activities, open rehearsals, free performances and proposals for children is expanding its audience in quantity and diversity.
Adelaide Festival Centre is South Australia’s key performing arts facility. It is the cultural centrepiece for a city and state acknowledged locally, nationally and internationally as a leader in the arts.
Located on the banks of the River Torrens, Adelaide Festival Centre opened in 1973. Hosting 1,000,000 attendances a year, Adelaide Festival Centre presents theatre, dance, music, and exhibitions, and produces five international festivals: OzAsia Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Guitar Festival, Adelaide French Festival and DreamBIG Children’s Festival.
The Festival Centre is the main venue for its home companies: State Theatre Company South Australia, State Opera of South Australia, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Brink Productions, Windmill Theatre Co, Australian Dance Theatre, Adelaide Festival, and the Australian Ballet.
Adelaide Festival Centre presents the best in performance from Australia and around the world each year including producing or coproducing some of Australia’s most successful and innovative shows. Adelaide Festival Centre’s Walk of Fame features more than 130 names of some of the outstanding artists and creators who have graced Festival Centre stages.
The opera house was solemnly opened on May 25th, 1869 with Mozart‘s Don Giovanni (performed in German with the title Don Juan) in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. The director Gustav Mahler was the first highlight for the Vienna opera. He completely renewed the outdated performance system, increased precision, and strengthened the ensemble‘s spirit. The opera has been under the direction of Dominique Meyer since September 1st, 2010.
On March 12th, 1945, the house was devastated during a bomb raid, but on May 1st, 1945, the State Opera in the Volksoper’ was opened. On October 6th, 1945 the hastily restored Theater an der Wien was reopened. Thus, for the next ten years there were two theatres. On November 5th, 1955, the Wiener Staatsoper was reopened with a magnificent performance of Beethoven‘s Fidelio under the direction of Karl Böhm. The building of today‘s Wiener Staatsoper – nicknamed by the Viennese as the house on the Ring – was planned by the Viennese architects August Sicard von Sicardsburg who designed the ground plan, and Eduard van der Nüll who designed the interior.
Nowadays, the Wiener Staatsoper is considered one of the most important opera houses worldwide, and above all the opera with the largest repertoire. The season lasts from September to June and offers more than 300 performances of more than 60 operas and ballets. The artistic corner-stones of this opera house are the permanent members of the singing ensemble, the ballet company, the orchestra and the choir.
As home for Canada’s most creative artists, the National Arts Centre strives to be artistically adventurous in each of its programming streams – the NAC Orchestra, English Theatre, French Theatre, Dance and NAC Presents. NAC Indigenous Theatre, the first national Indigenous Theatre in the world, will begin its first season of programming in the fall of 2019. The NAC’s National Creation Fund invests up to $3 million of privately raised funds every year in the development of the new works by Canadian artists and arts organizations.
The NAC is at the forefront of youth and educational activities, offering artist training, programs for children and youth, and resources for teachers in communities across Canada. The NAC is also a pioneer in new media, showcasing the performing arts across the country through the largest transparent LED installation in North America; using technology to teach students and young artists around the globe; creating top-rated podcasts; and providing a wide range of NAC Orchestra concerts on demand. The NAC building has recently undergone two extensive renewal projects, generously funded by the Government of Canada. The NAC is the only bilingual, multidisciplinary performing arts centre in Canada, and one of the largest in the world.Founded on June 2nd, 1969, the National Arts Centre is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019 with an array of special programming and activities throughout the year.
For the eleventh summer, Kuressaare, the capital of Estonia’s largest island Saaremaa, known for its captivating nature and exciting history, is the host to a major opera event – Saaremaa Opera Festival. The open-air festival bringing together thousands of opera friends has grown into one of the biggest festivals in the Baltic region and offers only top-quality performers, touching music and pleasant atmosphere.
The first opera festival in Estonia (as Kuressaare Opera Days) was born in 1999 on the island of Saaremaa. The festival is held at the medieval Episcopal Castle of Kuressaare, one of the best known West Estonian tourist attractions. The yard and walls of the castle are suitable for building up an opera house up to 2,000 spectators. Since 2008, the festival is organised by Eesti Kontsert.
Soloists and conductors like Neeme Järvi, Eri Klas, José Cura and many others have starred at the festival. By now, Latvian National Opera, Nemerovich-Dantshenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre, Ankara State Opera and Ballet Theatre, Moscow Helikon Opera, Ukrainian National Opera, Shanghai Opera House and other famous theatres have presented their best productions in Saaremaa. The main guest theatre of 2019 will be Moscow Helikon Opera.
As the most prestigious opera house in France, the Opéra National de Paris consists of the Opéra Garnier and the Opéra Bastille. Such a perfect combination gives the palace a unique charm and makes it an eternal benchmark of immortal classics and Performing Arts in the long history.
The Palais Garnier created by the architect Charles Garnier in 1875, the Palais Garnier houses a prestigious auditorium and public areas (grand foyer, rotonde des abonnés, salons), a museum-library, as well as several rehearsal studios and workshops. The “Italian- style” auditorium, with its ceiling painted in 1964 by Marc Chagall, can accommodate 2,054 spectators. With nearly 480,000 visitors each year, it is one of Paris' most visited monuments. It has been listed as a historical monument since 1923. The Opéra Bastille is inaugurated in 1989, this modern theatre, designed by Carlos Ott, houses a main auditorium with 2,745 seats, a 500-seat amphitheatre, a 230-seat studio theatre, set and costumes workshops and offices.
With its 275-year tradition the Staatsoper Unter den Linden belongs to one of the world’s most important opera companies, presenting a programme from baroque opera, to central works of classical, romantic and modern opera, to the performance of world premieres and developments of experimental forms of music theatre. The historic opera house, built by command of Frederick II in 1742 in the centre of Berlin, has undergone an extensive reconstruction, offering now improved acoustics and a fully modernized stage mechanics.
Outstanding artists have decisively shaped the Staatsoper and the nearly 450-year-old Staatskapelle. Today, with Daniel Barenboim as general music director, acclaimed guest conductors, a high-calibre resident ensemble complemented by internationally reknown singers, the Staatsopernchor and the Staatskapelle Berlin, performances of the highest artistic level are guaranteed. The productions reflect the exploration of works from today’s perspective, give new impulses to conventional perceptions and remain loyal to the intention of the works. In the spirit of maintaining a vivid perception of music theatre, the promotion of young artists and the accessibility for a young audience are of particular importance.
The “Stiftung Oper in Berlin” (Berlin Opera Foundation) was founded on January 1st, 2004, combining the five independent institutions – Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Staatsballett Berlin and “Bühnenservice Berlin” (Stage Services Company) – under one roof. Besides the Head Office, centralized departments for Finance and Accounts and for Human Resources for all companies operate under the roof of the foundation.
The three opera houses remain autonomous institutions with their own Artistic Directors – Matthias Schulz, Barrie Kosky, Dietmar Schwarz – and their own budgets. The same applies to the ballet company under the artistic direction of Johannes Öhman. The Stage Services Company, which merges the costume and stage design workshops into one organization, is also an individual institution under the direction of Rolf D. Suhl. Between the Stage Service Company and the four artistic companies exists an obligation of contract that binds the artistic companies to use the Stage Service Company’sprovides services for the construction of sets and costumes.
The Foundation acts as employer for all staff of the five companies and owns all buildings: opera venues, storage depots, administrative office spaces and workshops. The Foundation receives public grants from the Land Berlin and the Federal Government in order to fulfil its tasks. The Land Berlin covers the costs of the maintenance of all buildings and any necessary construction works. The overall grant from the Land Berlin (Federal State of Berlin) for the financial year 2018 is 142.5 million Euros (additionally there is the grant from the Federal Government of 10 million Euros).
This summer the Rossini Opera Festival will be reaching its fortieth edition. Created in 1980, through the years the Festival has rediscovered the complete opera production of Gioachino Rossini, a composer who had been known for a long time only for his buffo operas. Thanks to the support of the musicologists from the Fondazione Rossini, the ROF can also boast a long list of unknown titles apart from the classic masterpieces of the Rossinian canon. The fact that Rossini's operas are ever increasingly present in the repertoire of theatres the world over is the best testimony to the decisive contribution made by the Pesaro festival to the Rossini- renaissance.
Since 1990, the exploration of all his chamber and salon works - with the systematic study of the problems involved with presenting a contemporary audience, for the first time, with theatrical works based upon expressive formulas that are so out of date and apparently out of touch. All this has allowed us gradually to overcome false impressions stemming from conceptions of a supposed Rossinian orthodoxy, and to create, instead, a meeting place for discussion and research, for ideas and projects.
The Festival soon became the destination of Rossini’s fans from all over the world, enthusiasts who were literally chasing rare operas: 70% of the Festival’s audience comes from abroad. In 2015 the Rossini Opera Festival won the International Opera Award with Aureliano in Palmira, for being the “Best Rediscovered Work”, after having had two nominations for best Festival and best production with Guillaume Tell in 2014.
Teatro alla Scala was founded, under the auspices of the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, to replace the Royal Ducal Theatre, which was destroyed by fire on February 26th 1776. Designed by the great neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini, La Scala opened on August 3rd 1778 with Antonio Salieri's opera L'Europa Riconosciuta, to a libretto by Mattia Verazi. With the advent of Rossini in 1812, Teatro alla Scala was to become the appointed place of Italian opera seria.
Over the past 200 years, La Scala has made great contributions to the art world. There are world-class performances all year round, including opera, ballet, concerts and so on. It is also the premiere venue for many famous operas.
Many important musicians in Italian history are associated with Teatro alla Scala. The world’s most renowned conductors Arturo Toscanini, Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim and Riccardo Chailly have all served as artistic directors of La Scala. The world’s top artists including Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, Maria Callas, Margot Fonteyn and Serge Lifar have all performed in La Scala.
The New National Theatre, Tokyo (NNTT) is Japan's only national theatre dedicated to the performing arts of Opera, Ballet, Dance and Drama. Since we opened in 1997, the NNTT has presented world-class performances not only at our theatre in Tokyo but also at many regional theatres, and has come to occupy a familiar and much-loved place in the nation's cultural life.
The NNTT comprises the Opera House, Playhouse and the Pit, each of which uniquely contributes to an annual total of about 300 stage performances to the delight of approx. 200,000 theatregoers, including many visitors from overseas. The theatre is constantly active in staging productions, by itself or in collaboration with other theatres throughout Japan and overseas.
New National Theatre Chorus and the National Ballet of Japan are the two resident companies of the NNTT. NNT Chorus inaugurated since the 1998/1999 Season performs in most of the opera productions produced by NNTT. Their activities go beyond operatic performances while they also appear at other concert halls and music festivals. Meanwhile, the National Ballet of Japan (NBJ) was founded in 1997 as the first ballet company in Japan resident of a Theatre.
The NNTT is also involved in educational programmes for high school students for their first time opera, ballet for children, free lectures, talk sessions and workshops, and other initiatives. What’s more, the NNTT has Opera Studio, Ballet School and Drama School within the theatre complex.
In 1968, Maestro Abdel Halim Caracalla founded what would evolve into the first and most prominent professional dance theatre of the Arab world, revealing an original art form which combines the Oriental heritage and beauty of the East with the diversity and dance disciplines from the West, creating a body language known as the “Caracalla Dance Style”.
The Caracalla Dance Theatre has performed on the most reputable theatres, opera houses and cultural capitals across the continents, as well as numerous festivals and venues in the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf States. The company collaborates with internationally renowned artists who are pioneers in the world of the performing arts. Recipient of numerous prestigious awards and presidential decorations, the Caracalla Dance Theatre has captured global press recognition. Caracalla created over 18 ballets and musicals.
The company is proud to have its own home theatre and a dance school, consolidating its rich heritage and inspiring today’s youth for an artistic future. The Caracalla artistic institution is also guardian to over fifty years of invaluable archival research in dance, music, costumes, traditions and Arabic heritage.
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said established the Royal Opera House Muscat eight years ago in 2011 for the people of Oman and for all of humanity.
Throughout the eight years since the Inauguration, the Royal Opera House Muscat has not wavered in supporting new and emerging stars and further diversifying the countries of origin for its seasonal rosters, as well as broadening the genres and kinds of programs presented. All the while, the average number of seats filled has been rising and has reached 94% of capacity.
With a continuing focus on diversity in genre and innovative artistry in performances, the Royal Opera House Muscat now presents productions come from varied high calibre performing arts companies in more than thirty countries in the Arab World, the Middle East, and across five continents: Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Africa. Importantly, Arab programs constitute 30% of annual programming.
All front of house staff are Omanis as well as a significant percent of management, technical and administrative staff. Oman’s Military Bands, the Oman Royal Symphony Orchestra and its traditional Arab Orchestras perform on stage annually. Young Omanis interested in careers in the performing arts are trained in house and also sent abroad for education and training in theatre arts.
Six full scale operas are presented each season. In recent years, ROHM has co-produced several operas with leading opera houses, as well as producing original works in-house and is now well on its way to becoming a producing as well as a hosting institution. This past March ROHM premiered an innovative new production of Léo Debiles’ Lakmé in collaboration with eight companies from around the world.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is the premiere showcase of the arts in the Philippines. Founded in 1969, the CCP has been producing and presenting music, dance, theater, visual arts, literary, cinematic and design events from the Philippines and all over the world for more than forty years. It has nine resident companies in CCP.
The Arts Education Department holds master classes, workshops, and online educational resources. The Cultural Exchange Department supports the development of satellite venues in select cities all over the country. The Production and Exhibition Department advances the practice in technical theater and design and takes the lead in the professionalization of stagecraft and venue management in the country. The Cultural Content Department digitizes the cultural content of the Center and designs interactive portals. With the Assets Development Program the CCP is poised to redevelop its sixty hectare property as a major cultural and eco-tourism destination in the Asia Pacific region.
The CCP belongs to various international organizations such as the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Center (AAPAC), the Conseil International des Organisations de Festivals de Folklore et d’Arts Traditionnels (CIOFF), the World Dance Alliance (WDA), the International Theater Institute (ITI), the Asian Theater Alliance (ATA), the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (ASEAN COCI), the ASEAN Korea Traditional Music Orchestra (AKTMO) among many others.
Seoul Arts Center (SAC) is the representative arts complex to which nearly 2 million users visit every year in Korea. SAC is located in southern Seoul, and is the first multi-disciplinary arts center and cultural park in Korea. Covering a total land area of over 234,385 square meters and a total floor space of 120,951 square meters, SAC opened in three stages from 1988 to 1993.
With its beautiful architecture, Opera House has three separate theaters. Opera Theater with 2,340 seats is equipped to support grand operas, ballets and more. CJ Towol Theater, which is a medium sized theater of 1,004 seats for plays, small scale operas and modern dance. Jayu Theater, which can accommodate a maximum of 350 seats, is for experimental and avant- garde performances.
Concert Hall, which has 2,523 seats, is a large hall for orchestras. IBK Chamber Hall has 600 seats and 2 levels. Recital Hall, which has 354 seats, is for solos or chamber orchestra. SAC Music hall has reputation to be fully equipped with from large to small sized halls for classical music. And SAC has Calligraphy Art Museum, Art Museum, Design Museum, and Outdoor Stage.
Since the completion of SAC, artists from a number of disciplines have recognized it as having a unique place for creative works. As a world-class institution, SAC has played a role in leading Korean culture into the next century. SAC is expected to jump up to be a leading arts center in the world with vigorous interchange with foreign arts companies and various events which can charm every visitor.
Academic Twice Red Banner Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A.V. Aleksandrov is the central cultural institution of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Russia's largest military music band. Throughout its history, the Ensemble accompanies the most important official events and ceremonies at the highest level with the participation of top officials.
Its birthday is considered as October 12th, 1928, when the first concert performance took place in the Central House of the Red Army. Over the years, the ensemble was awarded the prize "Golden Disc" by the French Academy of Recording for the best record of the year (1961), the prize “Golden Disc” by the French record company “Le chant du monde” (“Song of the World”) for record runs of recordings of songs performed by the collective (1964), the prize “Golden Disc” of the Dutch company “N.O.K” for the record circulation of records (1974), the diploma "Grand Prix" of the World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Budapest (1949, dance group), diploma of the Komsomol Central Committee and the title of laureate of the All- Union Soviet Youth Festival for the performance of the dance composition “Invitation to the dance” (1973, women's dance group).
The repertoire of the ensemble includes more than two thousand works: folk songs and dances, soldiers' dances, songs of domestic authors, sacred music, classical works of Russian and foreign composers.
The head of the ensemble and its artistic director is the Honoured Worker of Culture of Russia, Colonel Gennady Sachenyuk.
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is Singapore’s national performing arts centre. Since its opening in 2002, the centre has presented more than 41,000 performances and activities, drawing an audience of 28 million patrons and 98 million visitors.
Esplanade’s vision is to be a performing arts centre for everyone and its programming is guided by its social mission—to entertain, engage, educate and inspire. The centre’s year-long calendar of about 3,500 arts performances and activities span different cultures, languages and genres including dance, music, theatre, and more. Of these, more than 70% are presented free for all to enjoy.
Esplanade works in close partnership with local, regional and international artists to develop artistic capabilities, push artistic boundaries and engage audiences. The centre supports the creation of artistic content by commissioning and producing new Singapore and Asian work for the international stage. As an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) of the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), Esplanade conducts a range of courses that develops technical capabilities for the industry nationally.
The crown jewel of Esplanade is the 1,600-seat Concert Hall, which boasts superb adjustable acoustics found only in four other halls globally. There are still the centre’s Theatre and three other studios that are designed for intimate performances. Esplanade is building a new theatre with at least 550 seats along its busy waterfront, opening in 2021.
Barcelona's opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, was founded on the Rambla in 1847 and has continued over the years to fulfil its role as a culture and arts centre and one of the symbols of the city. Today it is publicly-owned (by the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council and the Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte) and administered by the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu which, in addition to the aforementioned bodies, incorporates the Patronage Council and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu (the old society of owners).
The original building was solemnly opened on April 4th, 1847. The project was funded by selling shares. The shareholders formed the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu, known as the “Societat de Propietaris” (Society of Owners). By the last quarter of the 20th century this management system was no longer viable. In 1980, the Generalitat Catalonia's first government in modern times – set up a consortium, the Consorci del Gran Teatre del Liceu. From then on the Consortium took over operation of the theatre.
The fire that destroyed the Auditorium and stage on January 31st, 1994 caused a great impact on Catalan society and the Liceu's very existence was called into question. It was decided to rebuild and improve the emblematic building and to create a new legal framework to put it under public ownership. Thus the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu was created in 1994 and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu surrendered its property rights to the public authorities. This hand-over was ratified in 1997.
The Teatro Real Foundation is chaired by the King and Queen of Spain. It relies on two public administrations that took part in its creation: the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, and the Comunidad de Madrid (Regional Government of Madrid). The Foundation is governed by a Board of 31 trustees. The Board of Trustees elects the President of Board and the Executive Commission as proposed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. The Foundation is a public entity and there is an important role played by civil society in its governance and sponsorship.
The objective of the Teatro Real is to create a venue for the most talented singers, conductors and stage directors from around the world. Its artistic mission is expressed in programming which seeks excellence by combining classical and contemporary lyrical repertory to appeal to audiences of all ages and interests. Introducing young people and children to opera is of particular concern. All this, along with the Principal Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, the most up to date technological expertise and the large number of in house productions on stages around the world has firmly positioned the Teatro Real in Spain and abroad.
The Teatro Real abides by a self-governing, permanent and professional management style, in accordance with the most important national cultural institutions.
Opera Siam, entering its Eighteenth Season, is ASEAN's full-service opera, providing a rich season of established classics, innovative new works, contemporary opera, and world premieres of operas by Asian composers.
The Bangkok Opera Foundation, a nonprofit organization, was created by Somtow Sucharitkul as the Artistic Director in 2001 with the aim of creating an opera company in Asia with a unique perspective. Its productions have often presented traditional western reperoire works with a local twist. Opera Siam has now produced sixty-one staged opera productions. World-class artists frequently join forces with Thailand’s best performers for Opera Siam’s productions.
In its previous season, Opera Siam began its project to perform all the major operas of Puccini over the next five years. One of Opera Siam’s long-term projects has been DasJati, an adaptation of the iconic Ten Lives of the Buddha into ten linked music dramas. There are now seven of these works. Opera Siam’s educational program includes the Siam Sinfonietta, a youth orchestra.
A world-class arts and learning organisation, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. Its creative learning programme further underpins everything it does.
The architecturally renowned centre opened in 1982 and comprises the Barbican Hall, the Barbican Theatre, the Pit, Cinemas 1, 2 and 3, Barbican Art Gallery, a second gallery the Curve, public spaces, a library, the Lakeside Terrace, a glasshouse conservatory, conference facilities and three restaurants. The City of London Corporation is the founder and principal funder of the Barbican Centre.
The Barbican is home to Resident Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra; Associate Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra; Associate Ensembles, the Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia among others.
The Barbican works with outstanding artists to give audiences opportunities to experience outstanding work by acclaimed companies and artists. Its ambitious cultural partnerships offer outstanding creative opportunities for young people across eight east London boroughs.
The Royal Opera House is home to two of the world’s great artistic companies, The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet, the Royal Opera House has a central role to play in cultivating a healthy future for opera and ballet not only at home but across the Globe. The Royal Opera House not only re-imagines the great masterpieces of the past, but also invests in new works, invests in exceptional talent and innovative ideas and invests in our theatre building.
Building new audiences is a key part of the Royal Opera House’s vision. Audiences must be grown and developed, not only through innovative marketing techniques but by extending and expanding reach through a wide variety of activity. For both Companies new work has always been central to their programming, between them creating more than thirty-five works over the last 15 years, and they have extensive plans to commission exciting composers to make new work for both theatre spaces.
The Royal Opera has plans to develop its already established and very successful Young Artist’s Programme, supporting the artistic development of talented singers from across the world at the beginning of their career. Learning and Participation activity continues to expand, providing inspirational learning opportunities to tens of thousands of people each year. The film and broadcast team supports an extensive media programme, screening 14 productions to cinemas worldwide each season, arranging free outdoor screenings to parks in the summer, broadcasting on TV and radio and streaming on the internet.
Since it opened in 1891, New York’s Carnegie Hall has set the international standard for musical excellence as the aspirational destination for the world’s finest artists. An honour roll of music-making artists representing the finest of every genre has filled Carnegie Hall throughout the years. Carnegie Hall today presents a wide range of performances each season on its three stages— the renowned Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage (2,804 seats), intimate Weill Recital Hall (268 seats), and innovative Zankel Hall (599 seats)—including concert series curated by acclaimed artists and composers; citywide festivals featuring collaborations with leading New York City cultural institutions; orchestral performances, chamber music, new music concerts, and recitals; and the best in jazz, world, and popular music.
Many concerts each season are heard by listeners worldwide via the Carnegie Hall Live radio and digital broadcast series, and selected concerts have been webcast on medici. tv. In addition to Carnegie Hall’s presentations, the venue is also home to more than 500 independently produced events each year. Complementing these performance activities, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute creates extensive music education and social impact programs that annually serve more than 600,000 people in the New York City area, nationally, and internationally.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS), is one of eleven constituents of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the largest performing arts complex in the world. CMS has its home in Alice Tully Hall – the finest hall in the world for chamber music. Through its many performance, education, recording, and broadcast activities, it brings the exhilarating experience of great chamber music to more people than any other organization of its kind.
Under the inspired leadership of Co-Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han, CMS presents a wide variety of concert series and educational events for all ages. The artists constitute the world’s finest chamber musicians, enabling CMS to present chamber music of every instrumentation, style, and historical period. Annual activities include a full season in New York, national and international tours, and broadcasts on PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center.
The Kennedy Center, located on the banks of the Potomac River near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., opened to the public in September 1971. But its roots date back to 1958, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed bipartisan legislation creating a National Cultural Center. To honor Eisenhower’s vision for such a facility, one of the Kennedy Center’s theaters is named for him.
From its very beginnings, the Kennedy Center has represented a unique public/private partnership. As the nation’s living memorial to President Kennedy, the Center receives federal funding each year to pay for maintenance and operation of the building, a federal facility. However, the Center’s artistic programs and education initiatives are paid for almost entirely through ticket sales and gifts from individuals, corporations, and private foundations.
Guided by JFK’s legacy of idealism, hope, and empowerment, the Kennedy Center will launch new initiatives, serve as a catalyst and a meeting place, and invite members of the public to engage with artists and ideas, and to participate in the civic and cultural life of their country.
The Metropolitan Opera is a vibrant home for the most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, musicians, stage directors, designers, visual artists, choreographers, and dancers from around the world.
Since the summer of 2006, Peter Gelb has been the Met’s general manager. Under his leadership, the Met has elevated its theatrical standards by significantly increasing the number of new productions, and has launched a series of initiatives to broaden its reach internationally. To revitalize its repertoire, the Met regularly presents modern masterpieces alongside the classics.
The Metropolitan Opera was founded in 1883, with its first opera house built on Broadway and 39th Street by a group of wealthy businessmen. Hänsel und Gretel was the first complete opera broadcast from the Met on Christmas Day 1931. In 1977, the Met began a regular series of televised productions. In 1995, the Met introduced Met Titles, a unique system of real-time translation. Met Titles appear on individual screens mounted on the back of each row of seats, for those members of the audience.
Each season, the Met stages more than 220 opera performances in New York. More than 700,000 people attend the performances in the opera house during the season, and millions more experience the Met through broadcast series, new media distribution initiatives and state-of-the-art technology. In 2006, the Met launched a groundbreaking commissioning program to provide renowned composers and playwrights the resources to create and develop new works.
The Tianjin Juilliard School will be the first performing arts institution in China to offer a U.S.- accredited Master of Music degree. The school will offer a graduate program for a Master of Music degree from Juilliard in orchestral studies, chamber music, or collaborative piano; a pre- college program for students ages 8-18; an instrumental training program; adult education; and public performances.
Juilliard has been committed for more than one hundred years to providing the highest caliber of artistic education to gifted musicians from around the world, so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. The fundamental mission of The Tianjin Juilliard School is to educate new generations of musicians who can take the educational values they will acquire and bring those values and experiences to the artistic life of China, East Asia, and the world. We not only strive to develop complete musicians, but also happy and productive young adults who will become leaders in their respective fields in the time ahead.
Opera Europa is the leading service organisation for professional opera companies and opera festivals throughout Europe. It currently serves over 200 member companies from 44 different countries. Its main office is in Brussels, where it is registered as a non-profit cultural organisation in compliance with Belgian law. Its governing Board is made up of 18 members chosen from the general membership and elected for 3 year terms. An executive Director, a General Manager and a team of 7 are responsible for managing the organisation and responding to members’ needs.
Membership subscriptions are set by the full membership assembly and are presently €2,700 per calendar year, a rate that has been stable for ten years. This amount includes a varied set of online and live services. For companies without a theatre base, independent producers and ensembles, Opera Europa offers three additional membership schemes at different rates and services.
Opera Europa has hosted a series of events, including annual conferences and specialist forums. Opera Europa also launched OperaVision, a free streaming platform, to which 29 partners from 18 European countries make an annual contribution.
Alongside these advocacy initiatives, Opera Europa is determined to invest in professional tools which are designed to strengthen its members’ professional capabilities.
Ópera Latinoamérica (OLA), is a non-profit organisation that brings together Ibero-American opera theatres whose mission is to advance and promote lyric art in the Latin American region. It is legally constituted under Chilean laws since July 2017, and its headquarters are based in Santiago de Chile. It has more than 25 members from 11 Latin American and Spanish countries, including institutions from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay, which meet every year to draw new emphases and objectives.
Through networking, OLA supports the members that make up the association as well as the agents that make up the opera scene and the classical representation arts (singers, young talents, directors and technical staff). Conducting annual meetings, thematic seminars; facilitating the sale, lease and co-production of works between theaters, OLA strengthens the network of theatres that make up the association.