Philosophy

OPERA OF THE FUTURE

Operafest was conceived as an event which unifies varied Institutions, not only national  but worldwide, empowering sinergies and talent around a project mainly focused on promoting both Portuguese and international opera market, contributing to the creation of new body of opera repertoire, giving opportunities and highlighting new composers, musicians, conductors, singers, creative teams and clearly investing  in fresh talent. Operafest Lisboa finally introduces Portugal in the itinerary of innovative Summer Opera Festivals al fresco, for the originality of its programming organized in cycles, with the clear ambition of reaching out all kinds of new opera audiences, meeting different interests and affinities.

"OUT OF THE BOX" OPERA FESTIVAL REACHIN NEW AUDIENCES

Born during pandemic times  Operafest finally placed Lisbon and Portugal in International Opera Festivals circuit . And with limited resources but with a great deal of creativity and audacity received great international critics, was a ticket office success and reached already an unexpected variety of audiences, non habitual opera or classical musical consumers, being this phenomenon already object of study by PHD students from Lisbon University. Thanks to its programing combining tradition and vanguardism, built in varied cycles, Operafest is committed to meet concrete necessities of Portuguese operatic market,  diverse audiences and the urgency opera has, of re-inventing itself to get closer to the world and the audience of today.

BETTING ON OPERA OF TODAY

MARATONA OPERA XXI & NEW COMMISSIONS

In only three Editions, Operafest Lisboa managed to bring a total new dynamic to the Portuguese operatic ecosystem, presenting 10 absolute premieres and launching the only national contemporary opera competition and Award - Maratona Ópera XXI, showcasing a all new generation of not only composers but interpreters as well and fostering contemporary opera.

STAGE TO NEW TALENT

It has also been stage and space of experiment and development to singers, musicians, conductors, stage directors, set designers, prop designers an other creatives but also to producers, machinists and other technical staff at beginning of their career, to make their talent and skills grow.

INCLUSIVE FESTIVAL & eco friend

Youth work promotion

Operafest Lisboa refuses the predatory practice of Non-Paid work, excluding Non-Paid internship or volunteering, considering it a form of dissimulated working exploitation.

This Festival assumingly invests in young talent and youth work dignification. It has a percentage of  young people until 25 years old in full autonomy working places in at least 30% of its activity (production, design, audio, technic, musicians, singers, actors, dancers) and gender parity, already in the person of its general director.

It also declares itself ecological, promoting recycling and economy of resources in all stages of opera production, promoting public transportation and avoiding pollution and creation of garbage and plastics, not only within its direct activities, as well as in the activities of associated partners and merchandising.

PROGRAMMING IN VARIED CYCLES TO MEET DIFFERENT TYPES OF AUDIENCES

GREAT CLASSIC great opera repertoire revisited in stimulating new proposals, INEDITED promotes discovery of new titles in national premiere, of opera repertoire and less known composers, from a recent past. CREATIONS – new commissions and absolute premieres. MARATONA ÓPERA XXI -  contemporary opera contest and Award to foster contemporary opera production in all range, from composition to stage direction, enhacing emerging talent. OPERA SATELLITE, convokes new explorations and insights on opera, blending it with other musical genres (Operatic Rave) and proposing conferences, debates and workshops on multiple subjects. AUDIENCE OF THE FUTURE bets on sensitizing children to opera.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

OPERAFEST is firmly committed to cultural, social, environmental and economic sustainability, materialized in evolving and continuous practices with an impact far beyond the festival scope.

It strives to generate synergies fully aware of the various dimensions of sustainability, essential to build a better world, in which all, including opera ecosystem may prosper.