FEDORA - Join Opera Europa’s Spring Conference in Amsterdam for Three Days of Artistic Dialogue and Innovation

Opera Europa Spring Conference 2026 i

Join Opera Europa’s Spring Conference in Amsterdam for Three Days of Artistic Dialogue and Innovation

Details

23 February 2026

Amsterdam / Netherlands

Industry News

From 12–14 March 2026 in Amsterdam, the opera world’s creative pulse will beat strongly, as our expert partner Opera Europa's Spring Conference will be taking place alongside the Dutch National Opera’s Opera Forward Festival.

This year’s edition marks a bold shift in focus, placing artists themselves at the heart of discussions and collaborations, a move that reflects the evolving priorities of Europe’s opera community.

Keynotes by internationally recognised figures such as composers Vasco Mendonça and director Barrie Kosky set the tone for conversations about artistic leadership, creation strategies, sustainability and innovation. Contributions from leading creators, including Alexander Raskatov, Michel van der Aa, Susie Self, Tobias Kratzer, Annilese Miskimmon, and General Director of the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Ted Huffman, a member of the creative team behind the FEDORA – GENERALI Prize for Opera 2019 Winner Denis & Katya, will offer a mosaic of perspectives on the present and future of opera practice.

The conference programme intertwines seminars and performances, featuring Theory of Flames, a new work by Michel van der Aa, and the world premiere of Requiem for Mariza by Meriç Artaç. Attendees will also experience The Knife of Dawn, a powerful opera by Hannah Kendall and Tessa McWatt, and a performance of Philip Glass’s Les enfants terribles by young artists of De Nationale Opera Studio.

Beyond performances, the event fosters fruitful exchange among opera professionals, from commissioning and co-production practice to sustainability and audience development, as well as the organisation’s annual General Assembly on 13 March.