World Opera Day is an occasion to share the joy with all people.
The initiative of World Opera Day is the result of shared discussions between members of OPERA America, Ópera Latinoamérica and Opera Europa, and representatives of the opera field from the rest of the world, at the first World Opera Forum hosted by Teatro Real Madrid in April 2018. World Opera Day is an awareness campaign of the positive impact and value of Opera for society. Opera as well as the arts contributes to developing tolerance and understanding, opening minds, and getting people in touch with strong universal emotions. Just as much as sport shapes a healthy body, the arts shape a healthy mind.
We aspire to a culture which is both local and global. It must belong to and be inclusive of all those within its community. At the same time, it must embrace a diverse but connected world. Opera is an international language, and its stories reflect the values of freedom and tolerance.
World Opera Day is celebrated on 25 October, the birthday of Georges Bizet and Johann Strauss II, composers of possibly the world’s most famous opera and operetta.
The recognition of a common need and desire for advocacy for the arts in general, and opera in particular, led the three organisations – OPERA America, Ópera Latinoamérica and Opera Europa – to join forces to launch a first World Opera Day; but they count on the support of numerous partners in doing so. National Opera organisations, such as Association for Opera in Canada (Canada), Réunion des Opéras de France (France), Deutscher Bühnenverien (DE), Association for Music Theatre Russia, Ópera XXI (Spain) and Opera & Music Theatre Forum (UK) and Opera UK have already committed to take part in this campaign as have the National Centres for Performing Arts in China and India.
Find more information on our dedicated website www.worldoperaday.com.
Check out the last editions of World Opera Day
World Opera Day 2026
Opera Connects: Make the Case for Opera This World Opera Day
This year's World Opera Day theme, Opera Connects, puts a simple truth center stage: opera is one of the most inherently international art forms there is. Casts, creative teams, co-productions, and careers are crossing borders all the time. Let’s make this reality visible, both to the public and to the decision-makers who shape our sector's future.
An Opportunity for Advocacy
Beyond the public-facing celebration, Opera Connects is a chance for companies and their leadership to engage directly with policymakers — local, regional, and national — and make the case for opera's cultural and economic value.
A communications kit is now available, including first visuals and an adaptable letter template for your local politicians, built around member survey data (or relevant local statistics), to help make the case for opera's vibrancy and impact
We encourage member companies to identify key figures within their governing bodies and reach out as part of this coordinated push — the more companies speaking with one voice on 25 October, the stronger the case.
We will add a press release template and vignettes with figures of the Opera Europa Annual Survey 2026 to the communications kit, so stay tuned!
Ideas for 25 October
Alongside advocacy, the day is also an opportunity to show how collaboration is defining our sector — co-productions, touring, guest artists, cross-border careers — through public activities. Here are a few ideas:
Open rehearsals or guided tours, giving audiences a rare look behind the scenes possibly of an international co-production
Community listening parties or public broadcasts, on-site or in public spaces
Artist talks or panels highlighting an international collaboration or a singer's cross-border career
School or community visits, using the day as a first introduction to opera for new audiences
A special video or post for #WorldOperaDay & #OperaConnects
A public event is often the most tangible illustration of the case being made to policymakers. Whatever you plan, share it as part of #OperaConnects — tag your posts, and where relevant, encourage audiences and partners to do the same — so individual events add up to a visible, sector-wide campaign on the day.
Coordinating Across the Sector
As ever, the strength of World Opera Day lies in coordinated action. We encourage companies to start identifying their local contacts and potential partners now, so we can move quickly together as 25 October approaches.
Planning an activity for the day? Let us know via this short form — it helps us build a full picture of what is happening across the sector and support you in promoting it.
Watch this space for updates, and don't hesitate to reach out with questions or ideas for collaboration ahead of the day.
How to get involved? Engage with your politicians!
