The second community opera of the Liceu will feature music by Tomàs and Lucas Peire, musical direction by Manel Valdivieso, and stage direction by Israel Solà. Blanca Bardagil will write the libretto, inspired by a process of discovering the territory.
The second edition of OPERA PRIMA will premiere in June 2027 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, establishing this project as a benchmark for community-based creation in the service of dialogue. The opera will feature a libretto written by playwright Blanca Bardagil, based on extensive bibliographic research on the neighborhood and dozens of interviews with local residents—an essential element in giving voice to collective memory and transforming it into inspiration for operatic fiction.
The music will be composed by Tomàs and Lucas Peire, who will craft a score rooted in the musical traditions of the neighborhood. Musical direction will be led by Manel Valdivieso, with choir coordination by Buia Reixach. On the stage, Israel Solà will take charge of the direction with an open and engaged approach to the territory. The creative team will be completed as the project progresses.
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In addition to the creative process of the opera, a series of actions and initiatives will be developed alongside it, essential for fostering community building. These dynamics not only accompany and enrich the production but also strengthen local participation, encouraging dialogue, reflection, and a deeper connection with the territory.
The first collaboration has already taken shape with the creation of the opera’s posters, a joint project between the La Llotja School of Art and Design (in the La Sagrera neighborhood) and the Artenea Art Therapy Association (in Congrés i els Indians). The dialogue between the opera and the district is embedded throughout the creative process, aiming to promote social cohesion through art and highlight local talent. This exchange between the artistic field and the community offers participants a unique experience that goes beyond the stage and integrates into the neighborhood’s social fabric. The Opera Prima Sant Andreu community project will seek to establish collaborations in each of the seven neighborhoods through participation and/or operatic creation.
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OPERA PRIMA is a multidimensional project that goes beyond creating an opera with the district’s residents. It also involves a three-year community mediation process, establishing collaborations in artistic creation and culture with local organizations, institutions, and the community. The goal is to create meaningful connections between the territory and the Liceu, allowing residents to engage closely with the theater and explore operatic creation through audience participation, activities, visits, and the LiceuApropa and LiceuAprèn programs.
In 2018, the Liceu launched a community production initiative to promote cultural rights—equality, diversity, territorial balance, and cultural democracy—while fostering equity in opera participation and enjoyment. Each project spans three years, from its initial conception to its performance in the Main Hall of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, making it a major city-wide challenge and a step forward toward a 21st-century institution that is more responsive to contemporary realities.
This project aims to generate a transformative impact both inside and outside the Liceu, fostering active participation and community synergies. Strengthening social cohesion through artistic creation is one of its core pillars, along with broadening opera’s accessibility and encouraging active community engagement. At the same time, it provides Liceu professionals with a unique and enriching experience that deepens the connection between art and society.
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The European Commission has validated and co-financed the OPERA PRIMA initiative through the AMPLIFY project, which provides funding for its development. This project is structured as a consortium of European partners led by the technological center Vicomtech: Cooperativa Paulo Lameiro CRL, Toscana Produzine Musica ETS, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, Salsa Sound LTD, Norges Teknish-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet NTNU, François Matarasso, Europe Jazz Network, F6S, Last Tour, Stichting Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid, and Gran Teatre del Liceu. Aiming to foster human connection in the cultural sector, two technological tools will be developed: AMPLIFY PORTABLE, which will allow musicians to play, learn, and perform music together from anywhere, and AMPLIFY IMMERSIVE, which will enable artists to create and share live interactive experiences with remote audiences. The project will establish a methodological and ethical framework to guide the development of these tools and ensure that technology improves citizens' quality of life while enhancing creativity and promoting inclusion.
OPERA PRIMA stands out as a unique proposal in the operatic landscape. Its commitment to new opera creation, developed with and from the community, is an example of how art can become a driver of social transformation, a creative stimulus, and a space for cultural innovation and collective celebration.
With the support of:
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