His keynote speech was an engaging, inspiring, thought-provoking, and witty presentation of his view on the challenges of running an opera house today. How should we address different groups in a changing society? How to manage an institution in a difficult environment, so that it remains financially stable and efficient? The challenges include generating many new positions in the coming years and giving rise to promising artists who could enjoy long and prosperous careers, all that while fostering collaboration and connection with the audience.
Emerging artists require support, mentorship, and guidance as they take their first steps in the industry, and a creativity-fostering environment is needed. We should all aim to be workplaces that permit experimentation and risk-taking, where artists can fully express themselves without the fear of failure.
In terms of audience development, the houses are encouraged to move new productions from smaller stages to their main ones and stay away from the safety of traditional, well-known operas.
Technical managers from a number of member companies discussed the challenges of planning and financing renovations, technical modifications, and refurbishments in their houses.
They tried to define the balance between efficient production and resource compression, as well as address the topic of diversity within technical teams. The participants of the first session of the second day of the conference represented some of our member companies leading in sustainability-oriented transformation. The financial impact of rising energy costs and sustainable production choices. The companies have searched for, and very often successfully applied, innovative ways to limit electricity consumption.
