Evaluation
Project`s summary
Motivation for this project has grown from consortium’s joint desire to revive the interest in opera through our expertise and methodology, while searching for new knowledge and connections. For opera genre, to inspire future interest and support, it must move away from the narratives and objectives of the elites and to (re)build distinctive and meaningful engagement with audience.
Main objective of this action was to build a strong international, intergenerational and interdisciplinary network of artist participating, and to internationalize their careers.
Project`s objectives and resulting activities were in line with objectives stated in Creative Europe call, such as to strengthen the capacity of the European cultural and creative sectors to operate transnationally and internationally and contribute to transnational circulation of cultural and creative works, and cultural and creative players. Majority of activities were based on transnational mobility and international collaboration, both in artistic production and in transferring know-how, with the intention of making a strong network of young professionals involved in the process of creation of opera productions – vocal artists, instrumentalists – orchestra members, piano accompanists, art students engaged in visual identity of Opera through all stages, theatre directors, composers and scriptwriters – within two summer schools, in Serbia and in Georgia, providing them the opportunity to learn with leading authorities from various fields (vocal couching, orchestra, conducting, composing, directing, visual identity) as well as to support them in the search of new, contemporary context of Opera as such. Also, to help young performers (vocal and instrumental performers, conductors) to bridge the gap between formal education and stage experience. In addition to improving high profiled artistic skills, the focus was on interdisciplinary approach to Opera, where each and every segment is equally important.
Results and lessons learned
Two international summer academies in Serbia and Georgia have included over 250 participants – young professionals and experts from all four participating countries, but also from affiliated countries (from Wester Balkans region) who took part in seminars, debates and round tables. Six new opera productions were created, produced and performed entirely by young professionals and students who were selected as main beneficiaries during the open call at the beginning of the project. Ten more works (instrumental and vocal-instrumental) were created during the projects. Results include: performances, tours, visual art creation, exhibitions, workshops and master classes, round tables/panel talks and on-line platform PortoOpera; two festivals and five conferences, guest performances at several festivals and webinars.
Young professional of vocal studies, instrumentalists and piano accompanists, composers, students of conducting and theatre directing and students of visual art improved their specific skills and broaden their knowledge about Opera in general, in a way that that helped them to identify their roles in Opera houses and productions, to strengthen their artistic personalities and be more confident towards creating their own careers, as well to establish closer connection to each other as inseparable factors of Opera, through practical work, rehearsals, masterclasses, debates, performances and touring. Professionals and tutors in the fields of vocal and instrumental performance, conducting, composing, and theatre directing and visual arts discovered new perspectives in performance and teaching, exchanged their experiences in teaching students, improved their own artistic expression via transferring know how and intergenerational dialogue. Composers and librettist (script-writers) were motivated and encouraged to write new opera pieces as well as to engage in other music-scenic works. Beneficiaries were given the opportunity to present their work transnationally and internationally.
The practices, methods and knowledge gathered during this project, shaped the two-days seminar: The future of opera: challenges and solutions in music pedagogy, that have become the part of curriculum within
Serbian National Institute for Promotion of Education. With the support and organization of the Institute, this seminar contributes to capacity building among musical pedagogues in Serbia and region.
The hybrid event – conference: Music and new normal – with a view to post-covid reality, has involved a large number of local and international artists as participants. Solutions and good practice examples that were established during this project were presented to cultural workers.
We have achieved capacity building at multiple levels and in different areas, both as artists (as individuals) and as producers and organizers in culture (as organizations). Artistically, this project has helped all of its beneficiaries to broaden their knowledge – especially in those fields that were not primly theirs – to think cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary. Our organizations have built their references, expanded the network of associates, partners and funders, as well as their reach out range to audience. Due to the aggravating circumstances brought by COVID 19 pandemic many of projects` activities were held online, which has helped us to strengthen our competencies with digital tools and organization of online and hybrid events.