As part of the Grec Festival programme, the project 'Òh!pera. Newly Created Micro-Operas' returns to the Gran Teatre with the world premiere of three small-format operas, which will be presented on the same evening in two sessions (6:00 pm and 7:30 pm) on July 25, 26, and 27.
The project Òh!pera. Newly Created Micro-Operas returns for the fourth time to the Gran Teatre del Liceu—this year also as part of the Grec Festival of Barcelona—to promote experimentation and learning among young students from various design disciplines in the city. It offers them a real-life experience in operatic creation while generating solid platforms for exploration in the field of contemporary opera. This year, three small-format operas—or micro-operas—have been conceived to be presented in a single evening. The project is led by stage director Àlex Ollé (resident artist at the Liceu and founding member of La Fura dels Baus) and is a co-production between the Liceu and the Culture and Creative Industries Department of the Barcelona City Council through the Disseny Hub Barcelona.
The works will be presented in various spaces of the Liceu—such as the Sala Mestres Cabanes and the Foyer—on July 25, 26, and 27, in two sessions (6:00 pm and 7:30 pm). They include La vergonya, la panerola i El Corte Inglés, composed by Sirah Martínez, with a libretto by Clàudia Cedó, stage direction by Mercè Vila Godoy, and musical direction by Néstor Bayona; Ikaria, composed by Ariadna Alsina with a libretto by Anna Pazos, conducted by Daniel Huertas and stage direction by Berta Prieto; and Estètica i massacre, with music by Carles Prat—who also conducts—libretto by Carlota Gurt, and stage direction by Oriol Pla.
Over its previous three editions, Òh!pera has produced 11 thirty-minute micro-operas, involving around 160 students and 65 professionals, in addition to the technical and artistic teams of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. The aim is to create a shared experience where students in training collaborate with artists and technicians who are already familiar with the world of theatre and opera. Students and professors from higher education institutions in design, drama, and from the Conservatori de Música del Liceu take part in the project, contributing their creativity and conducting both artistic and technical research across various stage disciplines in a practical, professional experience that spans the full operatic creation process—from conception to premiere—over approximately 10 months of work and exploration.
Beyond promoting new creation and introducing the participating authors and artists to the operatic field, the project also aims to attract new audiences—especially younger people interested in music and theatre but with no prior experience in the world of opera. The selected projects bring together young creators with musicians, designers, conductors, stage directors, set designers, sound technicians, video artists, choreographers, and specialists in various performing arts disciplines. This reflects opera's multidisciplinary nature and its intersections with other forms of artistic expression, while also fostering international networking, sustainable creation, and teamwork.
In terms of the project’s international reach, Òh!pera has already traveled to South America: in November of last year, Filles del món, composed by Marian Márquez with a libretto by Ariadna Pastor and originally presented in the 2023 edition of Òh!pera, premiered at the Teatro Biobío in Concepción, Chile.
Schools participating in the Òh!pera 2025 project
The students participating in the design of the stage spaces and costumes come from these three schools:
ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering
LCI Barcelona School of Design and Visual Arts
IED Barcelona Higher School of Design
The students assisting with direction come from:
Eòlia Higher Centre for Dramatic Art (ESAD), specializing in Dramaturgy and Direction.
Graduates designing lighting come from:
Institut del Teatre (IT), ESAD, specializing in Scenography.
Performers (singers and instrumentalists) mainly come from:
Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu.
With the collaboration of Fàbrica de Creació Fabra i Coats.
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