JOIN US ONLINE NEXT WEEK: JANUARY 12 & 13

The upcoming New Works Forum, originally scheduled to take place in New York City, will now take place online next Wednesday and Thursday, January 12 and 13.

This virtual gathering brings together producers, publishers, composers, librettists, conductors, and designers to ask questions and share knowledge about creating and producing new operatic works.

We hope you'll join us for two days of thought-provoking discussions on crucial topics in the realm of new works. When you register, you'll also gain access to special Spotlight Sessions on January 26. (See the full forum schedule below.)

In this session, we will explore how new opera/music theater and its creators and producers can be catalysts for real and lasting change. We will take a critical look at specific examples of new works that have impacted opera companies’ relationships with their artists and communities in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We’ll examine ways in which these efforts were successful or unsuccessful artistically and financially, and discuss areas for potential improvement.

Detonating the Opera Box
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

Traditional opera has made itself elitist in its construct, and new work often gets quantified as being “outside the box.” But what if we just blew up the “opera box” as a way to change its definition — examining the real and practical steps necessary to make this change as both producers and artists. How do we make the stories we are telling resonate with people in a way they haven’t resonated before? This session will examine what it means to make opera more accessible, including different styles, sounds, and voices, and how producers can position themselves to build on the equity work that has been started. 

Thursday, January 13

Building a Bigger Tent for Artists and Creators
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET

This session will focus on how opera can break down barriers that prohibit cross-genre collaboration within the industry. We will look at how to engage a talent pool who may believe they don’t belong in opera and how to evolve standard practices to make opera more welcoming for all. The session will also include discussion on how experimentation in the development of new work can lead to a fruitful relationship with artists and creators outside of the industry.

Building Community Trust by Embracing New Repertoire
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

This session will center on how repertoire can be a catalyst for initiating authentic connection and trust in our communities. A focus on intentionality and audience building will be at the foundation of this panel discussion that looks to explore how repertoire can be developed with input and inspiration from the communities for which they are intended. Further discussion will also explore how other musical genres and artistic expression can be authentically incorporated into operatic endeavors, as well as the challenges and benefits of revitalizing traditional works with specific audiences in mind.

Wednesday, January 26

Spotlight Sessions
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET

In these Spotlight Sessions, artists will discuss new digital resources to help those in the field find new creators and new works. The sessions will also introduce OPERA America's newest grantees, the IDEA Opera Residents and IDEA Opera Grant teams.