Taking methodologies from innovation laboratories, the Global Production Market held for the first time at the 16th Annual Conference of Ópera Latinoamérica, allows theatres of various sizes and opera companies to share artistic projects that can circulate or be developed collaboratively. “Opera companies play a key role, since they are organisations that can generate more innovation and experimentation in their proposals,” says Alejandra Martí, executive director of Ópera Latinoamérica.

Through work groups made up of different theatres and opera companies and persuasive presentations of a maximum of five minutes, the Global Production Market had its debut at the 16th Annual Ópera Latinoamérica Conference (OLA), held between the 17th and May 21 in Manaus, Brazil. It was an instance that made possible to share specific artistic projects, of various sizes, that could materialize collaboratively.

“OLA has promoted circulation and co-production since it was founded in 2007 and this year we managed, in a much more concrete way, to establish bridges that foster greater cooperation. This was due to two factors: firstly, because the crisis caused by the pandemic revealed how virtuous and necessary networking is and, secondly, because the way to establish those links and trust was more effective.” analyzes Alejandra Martí, executive director of Ópera Latinoamérica.

“If the productions circulate, the artists circulate and if the artists circulate, our theatres are enriched.” — Augusto Techera, general coordinator of Artistic Production of Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires

In the first instance, three groups made up of theatres and companies were formed, where future artistic projects that could be co-produced, rented, and sold were shared. “I think the Global Production Market was a success; very interesting projects can emerge from there”, said Josep Cerdà, director of the Teatre Principal in Palma, Mallorca, Spain.

In this line, Augusto Techera, general coordinator of Artistic Production of Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, points out that “if the productions circulate, the artists circulate and if the artists circulate, our theaters are enriched. A step was taken, still in its infancy, to promote the circulation of productions and common work from different realities”.

The second activity was a marketplace, which had ten presentations of a maximum of 5 minutes pitch, led mainly by independent companies. “The possibility of offering projects and being listened to, and of knowing the projects of others, immediately translates into the establishment of contacts that lead to invitations, opening up the possibility of creating new projects –such as co-productions– and making the genre grow. In this way, the conference also becomes a kind of programmers fair, which is very necessary”, says Francisco Sánchez, artist, cultural manager and director of the Tryo Teatro Banda company, who participated in this initiative.

Also presenting at the Global Production Market were, among others, Aldo Brizzi from Núcleo Ópera de Bahía, who talked about the opera-song Amor Azul by Gilberto Gil and other projects; Pedro Salazar, from La Compañía Estable de Colombia, who showed the opera productions available for circulation; and Josep Cerdà from Palma’s Teatre Principal, who also presented shows available for circulation and projects for those looking for co-producers.

“Companies are organizationally lighter, therefore, they have greater flexibility, they can take more risks, and they have other ways of connecting with the public, many times closer. So we put that reality in dialogue with that of theatres of different dimensions. We integrate small, medium and large size organisations into an articulated,  fruitful, positive conversation and I think that this only adds up”, says Martí, who anticipates that they are already reviewing how to perfect this dynamic for future occasions.