Thoughts by Lorenzo Ponte
Our rapporteur for the autumn conference was Lorenzo Ponte, a young Italian stage director who won the second-last European Opera-directing Prize (EOP). He was invited by Opera Europa to share his reflections on the discussions of Opera Europa's autumn conference Perspectives hosted by Aviel Cahn and Grand Théâtre de Genève.
I come from a large Italian family. Every holiday we would gather in Rome, at my grandmother’s house – the ancient matriarch – and we would always find ourselves divided between two tables. On the right, a horde of noisy children. On the left, the adults: parents, grandparents, uncles, older cousins – unreachable, mysterious beings. Between us, an invisible wall of silence.
Then one year, when I was twelve, came my rite of passage. As I was about to sit at the children’s table, my grandmother stopped me and said, “Today, you will sit at the other table.” I couldn’t believe it. Was I ready? I took a deep breath and sat among these strange creatures – the adults.
That image helps me explain how I felt when I arrived here on Friday: suddenly sitting at a table surrounded by managers from opera houses across Europe. I felt I had entered the “adult table” of our profession – a community that, in many different roles, carries opera forward.
Overcoming the fear of being the newcomer, I’d like to share what I’ve observed and heard over these days. It’s difficult to summarise such a rich conference without oversimplifying, so I’ll speak of what struck me most deeply.
Opera and the World
The first feeling I had was one of relief – relief that people here were speaking about issues that truly matter today. I heard people talk about Gaza and Ukraine, and I spoke with Ukrainian artists themselves. The great tragedies unfolding in and around Europe cannot be absent from our theatres.
Someone asked, “Can opera save the world?” I’m suspicious of the verb save. I believe opera cannot save, but it can and must dialogue with the world. It can reflect, respond, and reach out to it.
Mariame Clément opened the conference speaking of love for opera. I would add: what about our love for the world? How can we make meaningful theatre if we lose our passion for the world outside our walls? Renata Borowska spoke of freedom in theatre; I would add another word – possibility. It is closely related to the theme of this conference: perspective.
Possibilities
I have seen many possibilities in these days together. It was encouraging to hear continued discussions about sustainability, and inspiring stories of theatres reaching new audiences through second-stage programs and unconventional venues.
Equally inspiring was the openness to self-critique – the willingness not only to speak about changing the world, but to reform our own theatres. I sensed that not everyone was always comfortable with what they heard, and that too is a valuable thing. The capacity to listen, question, and disagree is the sign of a healthy community. Like in a rehearsal room, moments of tension help us go deeper.
The round tables proved an important space for such dialogue. It was also a joy to meet other young directors and hear their ideas during the EOP final – we are all very grateful to Camerata Nuova – in particular Marja and Armin – for their tireless support of emerging directors and for their collaboration with Opera Europa in nurturing the next generation of artists.
I hope there will be more opportunities for artists and artistic directors to meet, exchange, and collaborate.
One thing I still miss is the chance to connect with young conductors. Dialogue between directors and conductors is essential to opera’s future. I leave that as a wish for the years ahead.
Access and Equity
Possibility is not just an artistic concept – it’s a practical one. How many opportunities exist for new people to enter your theatres?
In Italy, I worry that the path to working in theatre is narrowing, often limited to those who can afford expensive postgraduate programs. Opera must remain possible – possible for people of all genders, backgrounds, and social classes. The same goes for our audiences.
We live in uncertain times, and it’s easy to feel powerless. Yet art can open new possibilities and offer hope. Music is especially power ful in that way. I find it moving that while Russian bombs still fall on Ukraine, theatres continue to perform; that during the siege of Sarajevo, people still gathered to listen to music and dance. Music will not stop.
So I would not worry too much about the so-called “death of opera.” The resilience of Ukrainian theatres alone proves the contrary. Amid today’s suffering, I sense an awakening – a renewal of purpose and possibility.
Theatre as “Accadimento”
What makes theatre unique, to me, is what we call in Italian accadimento – the happening. Something that occurs here and now, unrepeatable and alive. I dream of theatres full of such accadimenti – spaces where art happens in real time, between human beings.
It is time to face the history we are living in. In these troubled times – when thousands are dying in Gaza and Ukraine – I like to imagine our theatres as resilient forests in a burning world. Forests where we are not afraid to take a stand for the oppressed, because, as Simone Weil wrote, the meaning of Western culture lies in our ability to see those who suffer from violence.
Forests where love for music and stories grows and is nurtured; where we encounter both our brightest and darkest selves; where we learn to live together in peace.
And if each theatre is a forest growing at its own pace, then Opera Europa is the invisible mycelium connecting them all – sharing knowledge, sustaining roots, and enriching our common ecosystem.
