Philosophy

TRADITION AND AVANT-GARDE IN OPERA OF THE FUTURE

Since its inception, Operafest has positioned itself as an event that fosters synergies between partners and institutions on a city, country and global level, thus acting as a magnet for talent that can boost the Portuguese opera market. In this way, the project contributes to the creation of new repertoire, acting as a public service that meets the specific needs of the sector in terms of programming, training and audiences.

Operafest is committed to supporting Portuguese talent, as well as putting Portugal on the international map for opera events that are innovative due to their originality, scope and ambition to bring opera to new audiences. The project bets on contemporary creation and on opera renewal offering new insights and propositions, all contained within thematic programming cycles meeting different tastes and affinities.

THE "OUTSIDE THE BOX" OPERA FESTIVAL SPAWNED DURING THE PANDEMIC ATTRACTS AND RETAINS NEW AUDIENCES

Founded in 2020, during the pandemic, Operafest finally put Portugal and Lisbon on the international summer opera festival circuit. Despite limited resources, it has received excellent reviews, both at home and abroad, in a highly demanding market. It has repeatedly proved to be a box office and critical success, managing to win over and retain audiences that are both new and varied, bucking the general trend to such a point that it’s currently being studied by doctoral students at Lisbon’s Universidade Nova.

This ability to attract new audiences has to do with the project’s dynamic nature, which creates a dialogue between tradition and contemporary creation and production, divided into programmes with specific objectives. It aims to meet the needs of the Portuguese opera market and diverse audiences, reinventing itself to be closer to today's world and its people, urgently renewing its repertoire.

DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES

GREAT CLASSICS
Great works from the operatic repertoire revisited in stimulating interpretations.

INEDITED
A chance to discover pieces making their national debut and lesser-known operas and composers from the recent past.

CREATIONS
New commissions and absolute premieres.

OPERA XXI MARATHON
The contemporary opera competition that aims to develop opera at all levels, from composition to directing, encouraging the emergence of new talents. This edition is transformed into the Platform for Today's Opera, which also focusses on training and research.

SATELLITE OPERA
This offers new explorations and perspectives on opera by combining it with other musical genres (Operatic Rave) or new formats (performance, happening), thus reaching unusual audiences, attracting artists and creators from other areas. In addition, there are conferences and debates, as well as various workshops offering discovery and direct experience.

AUDIENCE OF THE FUTURE
Sensitizing and introducing children and young people to opera of varied formats and repertoire.

CINE-OPERA
A programme that mixes cinema and opera.

CONTEMPORARY OPERA FOCUS

MARATHON OPERA XXI & NEW COMMISSIONS

In a matter of just four years Operafest Lisboa has brought an unprecedented dynamic to the Portuguese opera scene, commissioning new operas, presenting 11 world premieres and organising the country's only contemporary opera competition – Marathon Opera XXI, which has unearthed a whole new generation of talented composers and performers.

A STAGE FOR NEW TALENT & A SHOWCASE FOR PORTUGUESE TALENT

It has operated as a stage, as well as a place where singers, musicians, conductors, directors, set designers, costume designers, producers, stage machinists and other creative professionals involved with opera production develop and showcase their talent.

AN INCLUSIVE & ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FESTIVAL

PROMOTING YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORK AT A GREEN FESTIVAL

Operafest condemns unpaid labour and voluntary work as a form of covert exploitation (youngsters or people of working age). It invests in Portuguese talent of the present and future, upholding young people’s dignity and their working rights, as well as gender parity. Around 30% of workers in positions of responsibility (production, design, technical, composers, musicians, singers, actors) are aged 25 or younger, etc.

Operafest also declares itself to be ecological, focussing on saving resources via recycling and the use of public transport, while reducing pollution and the use of unnecessary rubbish and plastics as much as possible. This includes both the festival’s direct activity and that of the partners associated with its programme and any merchandising.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS DEFINED BY THE UN

Operafest has an unstinting commitment to good cultural, social, environmental and economic sustainability practices. These are evolving and ongoing, with repercussions far beyond the festival's environment and direct action. The festival is committed to generating conscious synergies between those involved in the different aspects of sustainability, where opera and everyone who takes part in it can thrive!