Finnish National Opera & Ballet welcomed over 250 participants for 5 (yes 5!) days of joint and parallel meetings for our forums on the main topic of Co-productions. Gita Kadambi and her team offered us a generous home, including performances of Festen and Pulssi, but also a party with a DJ that kept the company and our members on the dance floor until late (but not dark). Read hereunder testimonies from representatives of each of the forums involved.
It was wonderful to meet so many colleagues from such a range of departments in Helsinki in March for the joint Co-Productions Forum. Although it was still chilly in the mornings the sunny days brought a wonderful light and warmth to our time together, discovering more about the range of houses and companies who are collaborating, different ways of co-producing and collaborating, and looking for solutions and ways forward to the challenges that can arise from working together to co-create wonderful operas (and dance).
As well as being a great opportunity to catch up with the Artistic Administration colleagues, it was also great to meet the costume, wigs, technical and dance forum colleagues, to hear how we can help support them to work better together, and so that they also understand the Artistic Administration side of co-producing. Some of these people I have emailed a lot, so it’s always very nice to meet in person.
At first glance it seemed like a long couple of days for a forum, but it actually gave a real opportunity for the chunky topic of co-productions to be discussed both separately and together – a really valuable experience for everyone, I hope.
Helsinki were fantastic hosts – the lunch each day was exceptional and it was a treat to have such a delicious dinner provided with in such a fabulous setting on the Wednesday evening. And of the course the performances: to have both Pulsi and Festen was great – thank you Helsinki!
Imogen van Santvoort
Head of (Inter)national collaboration
Dutch National Opera & Ballet
For the members of the TechSet group, curiosity is always a driving force — whether exploring new technical solutions, regulations, tools, or emerging technologies. One of the most valuable aspects of these gatherings is the possibility of learning how other opera houses address their day-to-day challenges while developing increasingly collaborative production models.
A major focus of the forum was the technical and organisational complexity of co-productions. Discussions addressed stage safety, as well as the challenging certification requirements surrounding the scenic elements built and shared between partner theatres. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of allowing sufficient time for planning, technical assessment, and the exchange of production information to ensure more sustainable and efficient collaboration processes.
The inclusion of Costumes departments in the forum proved especially valuable. Their contributions highlighted the need for more inclusive working environments across the sector.
Round-table sessions repeatedly underlined the importance of communication between departments and creative teams. It was particularly interesting to observe how the lack of communication emerged as a recurring concern throughout the forum, despite operating in an industry (and world!) that is increasingly interconnected. The discussions highlighted that, beyond technology and shared digital tools, effective collaboration still depends on clear communication, mutual understanding, and strong professional relationships between technical and creative teams and institutions.
Artificial intelligence was also discussed as a useful tool for planning, cataloguing and coordination processes. However, the forum clearly demonstrated that technology cannot replace the professional relationships, trust, and long-term partnerships that are created through these in-person exchanges celebrated in Helsinki.
Celeste Carasco
Technical Production Manager
Teatro Real
As a first-time participant, it is extremely helpful and inspiring to hear about all these best practice examples and possibilities from leading institutions, in both the dance forum and the joint sessions. Each session gave some relevant points to note down and especially the cross-department mix of participants inspired to think 360° in our daily artistic challenges. These seeds and visions help me to develop my own dance company and working environment in order it is state-of-the-art. Being on a panel and sharing my projects gave me confidence that it is worth it to take risks for innovative collaborations, even coming from a smaller company structure. I experienced an extremely welcoming, open and respectful environment among the participants of the joint sessions and especially also the colleagues in the dance forum. The international exchange is very valuable and inspiring as it was about sharing practices and not about an artistic competition.
Isabelle Bischof
Artistic Director Ballet
Bühnen Bern
I have to say our hosts at the Finnish National Opera were excellent, and everyone was made to feel genuinely welcome. In particular, Katya, Henna, Anna, and the entire Costume, Wigs and Make-up team gave us a generous tour of their facilities and valuable insight into how they work.
This was my first forum as a steering group member for CWM, and I spent much of the event listening to feedback from my colleagues at the RBO and my peers across Costume, Wigs and Make-up. The overall response was very positive, with participants valuing the opportunity to discuss both the challenges and the benefits of co-productions. In particular, the round-table discussions with colleagues from technical, production, and artistic administration were especially useful.
It was also highly productive to brainstorm ways of improving the co-production and hire process for everyone involved. Hearing ideas from different companies, particularly around shared tools to support the process, was inspiring at times.
Bringing the different forums together every few years is extremely valuable both for raising the profile of the CWM departments, highlighting their specific challenges, but also understanding the difficulties faced by other forum groups.
Sarah Bowern
Head of Costume & Wigs & Makeup
Royal Ballet & Opera
What is the first step in deciding to create a co-production? Is it the artistic decision about the title, or the choice of co-producer? And how does that decision shape the work of both the technical and production teams that follow as a result? As we create more and more co-productions, the importance of strong cooperation between partner houses becomes increasingly clear. The role of Technical and Production Directors is not simply to problem-solve after the decisions are already made. Instead, they should be seen as strategic partners who help organizations balance artistic ambition with technical feasibility, budget, safety, quality, and realistic scheduling, while also building sustainable long-term collaborations.
Whether you are the main or co-producer, it is important to understand how the other house works — their workflows, technical teams, stage equipment and limitations.
Visiting the Finnish National Opera & Ballet in Helsinki also felt like a full-circle moment for me personally. Years ago, my mother attended the first TechSet forum in Helsinki and returned home with eyes sparkling from what she had seen, and it didn't stop there – everywhere you visit, you hear how FNOB continues to inspire innovation, sustainability, and practical thinking.
Joint forums are both a gain and a compromise. You lose some of the deeper one-to-one conversations that happen in smaller specialized groups, but you gain a much wider perspective, connections and a better understanding of the challenges faced by colleges across
Europe and beyond. And for that I cannot imagine a better theme for a joint forum than co-productions.
I often describe an opera house as a clockwork where every gear must move together in unison for the mechanism to work. Co-productions are the same – only now the clock must display the time for more than a single house at once.
Anna Vilemsone,
Deputy Technical Director
Latvian National Opera & Ballet
