Opera in the 21st Century Virtual Open Studios

The Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century program has always served as an emerging artist training program seeking to challenge the conventions of operatic creation and interpretation. This year, with the impact the COVID-19 pandemic placed on in-person engagement, the Banff Centre Opera artistic leadership continued the tradition of challenging convention, offering a creative, online space for 19 multidisciplinary opera-interacting artists in 4, 3-week modules over 9 months. This space was designed in response to society’s call for greater attention to equity, providing a platform for singers of various ethnic backgrounds and purposely gearing conversation through the lens of understanding this Eurocentric art form’s place in an increasingly equity-seeking society.

Each artist has taken the time to understand this program’s significance to them during the past 3 modules and now, at the end of the final module, they are ready to share a little of what they have done during this time.

Opera in the 21st Century is generously supported by the David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund.

Opera in the 21st Century is generously supported by the David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund.