On Wednesday, the nineteenth edition of the Latin American Opera Conference (OLA) opened in Lima, bringing together a diverse group of experts, cultural managers, artists, and authorities.
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For the next three days, the renowned Municipal Theater of Lima will host this international gathering, which aims to establish itself as a space for conversation, updates, and analysis, as well as a strategic venue for initiating and developing collaborative projects in the region.
“OLA exists so that we can accompany and support each other on this journey, so that we can listen to each other, grow, inspire each other, and empower one another, thus taking opera to new places, new audiences, and new times,” OLA Director Paulina Ricciardi said, adding that her organization hopes the event “will be a space that strengthens human relationships.”
On Thursday, ‘La púrpura de la rosa’ will be performed. After admiring a colorful Andean parade with Las pastoras de Yuyos, attendees will also witness this historic work, considered the first opera composed and performed in the Americas, which arrives on stage 325 years after its creation.
Carmen Larenas, OLA president and director of the Santiago Municipal Theater, explained that workshops and conferences will address the leadership and governance of cultural projects, an essential aspect in these complex times. She maintained that the performing arts face unavoidable challenges such as the rise of technology, the renewal of audiences, the general crisis in education, and polarization.
Regarding this panorama, the president of the OLA Network reflected: “The arts are a way of constructing meaning. Undoubtedly, the upcoming debate is ethical: what will be the agreed-upon limit between technology and humanity?”
She emphasized that the stronghold of art is “emotion, the emotion that is human,” which allows us to express and transform pain, loneliness, and joy. Furthermore, she indicated that opera must update its outreach to the public through marketing, noting that “being a space for encounter is an exception in today’s world.”
Lima Mayor Renzo Reggiardo inaugurated the event and celebrated the city’s transformation into an epicenter for dialogue on best practices and sustainability.
“We firmly believe that culture is not an accessory to urban development. It is one of its fundamental pillars,” he affirmed, concluding that a city that invests in this sector strengthens its identity, promotes inclusion, fosters creativity, and generates better opportunities for its citizens.
The event reaffirms the region’s commitment to keeping classical artistic expressions relevant in the face of contemporary challenges.
Author: HGV/JF
Source: Red de Opera de Latinoamérica
Source: teleSUR English
