OperaLab#2 OperaLab#2

In Operalab#1 in December, our Young Artists delved into six different opera scenes, from Falstaff to Carmen, without sets or costumes. What remained was the essence of opera: voice, imagination, and performance.

For Operalab#2 on June 25th and 26th, our Young Artists will be coached by Peter Tantsits—one of our resident performance coaches, and member of the IOA Artistic Committee—and theatre director Leon Rogissart. What will emerge this time is yet to be discovered, but one thing is certain: Operalab offers a rare and unmissable glimpse into the future of opera.

With Operalab, the International Opera Academy and Opera Ballet Vlaanderen launch a laboratory for expression and innovation, where a new generation of opera artists prepares to take the stage. Twice a year, during intensive project weeks, these young artists are immersed in iconic scenes from the operatic repertoire. Together with young directors, coaches, and conductors, they search for the beating heart of timeless music: what does it tell us today, and how can we bring it to life as truthfully as possible?

Each scene is carefully selected to suit the voices and artistic challenges of the performers. The result is an evening that balances between performance and experiment—a kind of docu-opera—in which the singers not only play their roles but also reveal themselves. They step in and out of their characters, search for honesty, and confront boundaries.

No costumes, no tricks—just top-level music, intense performance, and a behind-the-scenes look at the work of young opera talents. Operalab is a unique opportunity to discover up close how tomorrow’s opera professionals explore the repertoire and reinvent the future of opera.

With the support of the Belgian Federal Government’s Tax Shelter measure.