Opera In Language, In the Park, On your Screen.
West Australian Opera
brings Italian classics and Ground-Breaking New Works by Daniele Foti-Cuzzola | Photography by James Rogers
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020 was a trying year for many industries, but one that was significantly affected was the arts and entertainment industry. With live performances halted and congregations of large crowds prohibited, arts organisations like West Australian Opera were required to re-examine how they were going to share their beloved art form and connect with existing and new audiences amid a global pandemic. But with restrictions came innovation, and amidst cancelling and postponing several highly anticipated shows, West Australian Opera launched a series of successful digital initiatives including digital opera The Telephone, virtual singing classes, weekly playlists, a monthly podcast and
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an operatic inspired cooking series. These digital initiatives allowed the company to connect with audiences from Western Australia and beyond. After overcoming such a trying year, West Australian Opera is looking at a brighter 2021 with a new season that will incorporate digital initiatives and the return of live performances, and encourage audiences to colour their world with opera. «We want to celebrate opera’s diversity by presenting many different ways for people to fall in love or reconnect with the artform,» explains West Australian Opera’s Music Director, Chris van Tuinen. «2020 was already quite a big shift from the previous years in terms of the look and the feel and the number of productions that we were doing. That didn’t happen, we had to shut down and of course that was terrible for the industry and we really missed not being able to perform for people. [But] in 2021 we want people to see that we are so well connected and that we have reasons to be joyous, bright, engaging and colourful.» West Australian Opera’s 2021 season includes the Perth premiere of Tim
Segmento Issue XXII • March-May 2021
