Ann-Kristin Sofroniou and Michalis Moschoutis (Greek National Opera)
Abstract:
Co-OPERAtive: An intercultural and collaborative opera hub for young people’, winner of the 2019 Fedora Prize for Education, is an opera hub for a mixed group of young Athenians and unaccompanied minor asylum seekers aged 14-18. This project is inspired by the ability of opera – as an art form that encompasses all art forms – to function as a common language for creating an intercultural youth opera hub that uses participatory and co-creation methods. Co-OPERAtive aims to broaden opera’s appeal and raise awareness of opera among younger audiences, while calling attention to the intercultural diversity of contemporary societies and the importance of social cohesion. This presentation will discuss the project from the phase of its design to its implementation during the seasons 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23. The overall aim will be to present methods and ideas for designing intercultural artistic projects within the broader genre of music theatre. Furthermore, by sharing the outcomes of Co-OPERAtive through reports and documentation, this presentation aspires to reflect on the process so far and to raise ideas and issues in relation to its growth in the future.
About the #BAJMT Spotlight Series:
In this online series, the #BAJMT (Federal Academy for Young Music Theatre) presents professionals from all over the world who share their expertise on conceptual, institutional and artistic approaches to music theatre for and with young people. The featured projects, institutions, and outreach programs serve as inspirational examples, providing new insights into the field of young music theatre from different local and cultural perspectives.
On a weekly basis, our Spotlight Series features presentations and invites discussion on the following aims and challenges:
The invited experts are involved in artistic practice, music theatre education and outreach from a wide array of backgrounds, ranging from institutions to the independent scene and featuring permanent as well as temporary programs and projects.
Here are our dates and experts at one glance:
June 7, 7 p.m.: Barbara Minghetti (Teatro Sociale di Como) – Opera Without Borders
June 14, 7 p.m.: Ann-Kristin Sofroniou & Michalis Moschoutis (Greek National Opera) – CoOPERAtive: An Intercultural and Collaborative Opera Hub for Young People
June 21, 7 p.m.: Madré Loubser (Cape Town Opera) – The Route of the Solution: Towards Equitable Music Theatre Education
July 5, 7 p.m.: Regina Lux-Hahn (Kinderopernhaus Berlin) – Decentralised Music Theatre Education Within Institutional Frameworks
Zielgruppe/Target Group:
Personen mit beruflichem und persönlichen Interesse an Gedanken- und Wissensaustausch zu Musiktheater und seiner Vermittlung
People with a professional and personal interest in the exchange of ideas and knowledge about music theater and its mediation
Kostenbeitrag/Fee:
Die Teilnahme ist kostenfrei
Participation is free of charge
Zusatzinformationen/Further Information:
Die Online-Serie wird in englischer Sprache durchgeführt.
Der Workshop findet online statt. Es wird das Programm »Zoom« verwendet. Wir empfehlen, dass die Teilnehmer*innen das Programm vor Kursbeginn installieren und testen. www.zoom.us/test
The online series will be held in English.
The workshop takes place online, zoom will be used. We recommend that participants install and test the program before the course begins. www.zoom.us/test
Ansprechpartner*in/Contact:
jonas.wolf@musikkultur-rheinsberg.de
Ann-Kristin Sofroniou is a pianist, academic and workshop facilitator. Since 2018, she holds the position of ‘Research and Curation of Educational Design’ at the Learning & Participation department of the Greek National Opera. From January 2023, she teaches the class “Curating for music & culture” at the department of Musicology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She holds a PhD in Creative Practice/Piano (TL Conservatoire, London) with the title ‘Recycling Music-Recycling Performance: Exploring the use of existing music in piano works by Rochberg, Goehr, and Sharman’ with a scholarship from the Onassis Foundation.
Michalis Moschoutis studied at the Guildhall School of Music in London and at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague. He has composed music for films, documentaries, live cinema performances and his work has been featured at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens. Since 2013 he has curated a series of new music festivals in collaboration with Onassis Stegi (INMUTE, Borderline, Tectonics). In the field of education, Moschoutis has designed and implemented interdisciplinary educational programmes, has worked with groups with special needs and has taught music in schools. He currently works at the Learning and Participation department of the Greek National Opera.
