Opera Europa

15/10/2026

Applications are open for the Opera Management Course 2027!

Since 2013, Opera Europa has organised a training programme for emerging opera managers, helping them develop their skills and build valuable professional connections.

This year, Opéra Grand Avignon will host the course from 4 to 10 April 2027. Participants will explore the challenges of managing an opera company, learn from experienced professionals and connect with colleagues from across Europe.

The course will be led by Alexandra Stampler-Brown (Deutsche Oper am Rhein), Henning Ruhe (GöteborgsOperan) and Cormac Simms (Royal Ballet And Opera), alongside other industry professionals joining as guest speakers.

We encourage our members to recommend promising colleagues from any department who could benefit from this opportunity.

Application deadline: 17 December 2026.

Find out more: https://opera-europa.org/news/opera-management-course-2027

14/10/2026

Register now for the Inspire Performing Arts EU Final Conference in Brussels, 3-5 December!

The INSPIRE project has developed a free, multilingual online training platform for performing arts professionals, students and emerging practitioners. It offers resources on sustainability, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, resilience and people management.

Explore the platform: https://vle.inspire-performing-arts.eu

Taking place at La Monnaie De Munt in Brussels, the Final Conference will bring together performing arts professionals, high-level EU policymakers and experts from the Theatre Green Book network, Opera Europa’s Sustainability Forum and the FEDORA Platform Next Stage initiative.

Find out more: https://opera-europa.org/event/inspire-final-conference-net-positive-skills-sustainability-and-digital-change-performing

Whether you create productions, train the next generation of performing arts professionals or help shape the future of the sector, we’d love to see you in Brussels!

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeojdUIAgh8tPt5KtgADpD_GujXwo_ycfxA-FQk_vm9CQJf0w/viewform

05/10/2026

Opera conductors, this one’s for you!

Applications are now open for CIDOO 2027, the International Opera Conducting Competition at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège.

24 conductors. Six days of competition. And the chance to work where opera really happens: with orchestra, chorus and soloists.

First Grand Prize: €8,000 + a contract to conduct a production at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

Liège, Belgium | 15–20 March 2027
Applications close 15 November 2026
👉 https://bit.ly/3TAWTn5

02/10/2026

European culture has no legal protection. The time to protect it is NOW!

Right now, a single political shift in any EU country can strip funding, censor independent artists, and silence diverse voices.

Opera houses rely on public funding, long-term planning and the freedom to stage works that challenge audiences. That makes our art form especially exposed when political winds shift: a funding cut, a leadership change or a cancelled production can reshape a repertoire for years.

Journalism has secured protection at the EU level through the European Media Freedom Act. Culture has none. Over 200 cultural organisations are already calling for a Culture Freedom Act, and Opera Europa encourages you to join them.

Europe needs a Culture Freedom Act and every signature helps bring this proposal to the European Parliament. Add yours and share it with your network:

01/10/2026

⏰ Reminder: Apply for the Mortier Next Generation Award!

Are you an artist at the start of your career with a project that reflects exceptional talent?

This is a friendly reminder that the applications for the Mortier Awards 2026/27 are still open, but the deadline is approaching!

👉 Submit your application by 30 October 2026.

👉 Apply now and find all the details:

Mortier Next Generation Award - English Version

25/09/2026

The International Opera Awards nominees are out, and we couldn't be prouder to see so many Opera Europa members recognised!
Today, we're celebrating those nominated for their outstanding work in houses and initiatives. Stay tuned, as we'll be shouting out the production categories in the coming days!

OPERA COMPANY:
Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Zagrebu Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb
English National Opera
Staatsoper Hamburg
Opéra de Lyon
Teatro Real

FESTIVAL:
Bregenzer Festspiele
Garsington Opera
Sofia National Opera and Ballet

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES:
Opera North – Melodic Memories
Staatsoper Stuttgart – Station Paradiso
Teatro Real – Agrupación Musical Inclusiva

SUSTAINABILITY:
Collectif 17h25 – MOD 200 (Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Opéra de Lyon, La Monnaie De Munt, Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra national de Paris)
Glyndebourne – Wildlife Corridor
La Monnaie De Munt – Green Opera
Longborough Festival Opera
Project Butterfly – Teatro Pavarotti-Freni Modena / Ooppera & Baletti / Opera Bałtycka w Gdańsku

You can follow the Awards ceremony live worldwide on OperaVision, streaming Saturday 21 November from MusikTheater an der Wien!

📸 The International Opera Awards

24/09/2026

Welcome to our new member Ente De Carolis Sassari!

For over 70 years, the Ente Concerti “Marialisa De Carolis” has played a longstanding role in the opera and musical life of Sardinia, presenting opera and concerts at the Teatro Comunale in Sassari and contributing to the island’s rich operatic tradition.

This summer, the institution expanded its activities across the territory with the first editions of two festivals: Città Regie and the Festival Lirico in Alghero, bringing Donizetti’s "L’elisir d’amore" and Leoncavallo’s "Pagliacci" to the open-air stage of Bastione La Maddalenetta.

And with productions developed together with partners in Italy and abroad, the Ente is taking its opera beyond the island, connecting with audiences across the sea.

Benvenuti a Opera Europa!

📸 Elisa Casula

17/09/2026

Exciting news from our former President Peter de Caluwe!

Peter de Caluwe has been appointed artistic director of the Salzburger Festspiele | Salzburg Festival, succeeding Markus Hinterhäuser.

Peter served as President of Opera Europa from 2011 to 2013, a period in which he significantly expanded our membership. From 2007 to 2025 he led La Monnaie De Munt, when the Belgian house was twice named "Opera House of the Year" and he himself was honoured as "Manager of the Year" in Belgium.

His leadership and his deep knowledge of the opera sector will be a great asset to the festival, and we look forward to seeing what he and festival president Kristina Hammer have in store for audiences in the years to come.

Congratulations, Peter!

Photo: Jimmy Kets

11/09/2026

A warm welcome to the Budapesti Operettszínház!

The Budapest Operetta Theatre is one of the most visited theatres in Hungary, presenting around 500 performances each year to nearly 400,000 spectators. Its repertoire brings together the rich tradition of Hungarian operetta with its modern successors, contemporary Hungarian musicals, and musical productions for younger audiences.

Since opening its doors over a century ago, the theatre has celebrated both the tradition of the genre and its continued innovation, regularly taking its productions on tour and sharing the spirit of Budapest’s operetta tradition with audiences around the world.

We are delighted to welcome the Budapest Operetta Theatre to the Opera Europa community!

07/09/2026

A reminder for young creatives!

Join our upcoming information session on 23 September to find out more about the European Opera-directing Prize, the application process, and what to expect

The European Opera-directing Prize (EOP), organised by Opera Europa and Cameratanuova, is back for its 15th edition, offering an exciting opportunity for the next generation of opera directors and creative teams.

In partnership with Opéra national de Nancy-Lorraine, the winning team will be engaged to direct Janáček’s Jenůfa as part of the 2028/29 season.

We’re looking for stage directors and creative teams who:
• Are 35 or under at the time of application
• Have not yet directed a full-scale main-stage production at an established opera company
• Can submit an original production concept for Jenůfa (PDF, max. 8 pages, anonymous)

Learn more and apply: https://opera-europa.org/news/european-opera-directing-prize-15th-edition