More about Opera Forward Festival 2026 Labs Exciting creations by tomorrow’s makers After ten years of Opera Forward Festival, the experimental student projects have become an integral part of the programme. In the Labs, students take a fresh, open-minded look at opera, with scope for idiosyncratic creations. OFF has welcomed hundreds of students from art academies over the past ten years. For many, this is their first encounter with opera. The students are asked to create their own new operas, with few predefined structures or restrictions. Because this assignment is so free-ranging, each year it leads to some wonderfully surprising performances. For these young creatives, it is an opportunity to grapple with the possibilities and the challenges of the genre. Keeping an open mind while remaining constructively critical, they develop their own projects, which form the beating heart of the festival every year. Context programme In-depth discussions and thought-provoking performances The context programme of Opera Forward Festival is all about encounters and delving deeper. We look for a dialogue between opera and other art forms in a stimulating programme. During the festival, you will find concerts and performances where artists join forces to explore new avenues. An example is The Song Project, a collaborative venture with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. Young composers write new arrangements and compositions inspired by existing songs, giving a modern take on the classic genre of the art song. Collaborations with artists in other disciplines, such as spoken word and electronic music, also form part of the context programme. In addition, the programme offers room for reflection through in-depth discussions with leading performers, creators and thinkers. Photo: Michel Schnater Scene from the Labs of OFF 2024 54 Opera Forward Festival
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