Opera and Politics symposium
at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London UK
Thursday, 23+24 May 2019
Call for Paper presentations and workshops

Proposal submission deadline: Wednesday, 17 April 2019.

This year, the annual Opera and Politics symposium at Trinity Laban aims to bring together practitioners and researchers to explore themes of inclusion and access within opera practice.

Opera sits at a fascinating conjunction of disciplines including acting, storytelling, movement, composition, vocalisation and visual art. Unfortunately, it is often associated with a hierarchical, centralised structure including: the authority of the single composer, writer, director or conductor, the cultural specialisation of the trained singer, or the economic model of the production house and its patrons. However, there is an increasing number of initiatives attempting to create or produce opera in a more inclusive way. Examples include: Streetwise Opera which works with people who are or have been homeless, Opera Schmopera working with young people to create new opera, Kameroperahuis in the Netherlands which works with local communities, RESEO - a European network look into widening access to opera and dance and the community engagement and educational schemes of the large opera houses such as Royal Opera House, English National Opera and Opera North.

We invite proposals from practitioners and researchers for individual papers (20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes for discussion) and workshops (2 hours)

Some possible themes are:
- New models of opera creation such as: devising practice, community involvement and interdisciplinary approaches
- Challenges to the hierarchical structure of opera creation
- Opera and pedagogy
- Exclusion and inclusion around gender, age, disability, ethnicity, sexuality
- New venues and spaces for opera
- Connection with new audiences
- Any other proposals relating to opera and inclusion

Contributions from practitioners, academics, independent researchers and postgraduate students are all welcome.

Please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words and a short
biography (c. 150 words) to Guy Harries (g.harries@trinitylaban.ac.uk)
Please indicate if your abstract is for a paper presentation or a workshop as well as your AV
requirements.

The deadline for submitting proposal abstracts is Wednesday 17 April 2019.
Notification of acceptance will be sent by 24 April 2019.

The symposium is free of charge to all interested in the topic, but booking is highly recommended by emailing: g.harries@trinitylaban.ac.uk
It will take place at: Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Laban Building, Creekside, London SE8 3DZ, UK

Organising committee:
Dr Guy Harries
Prof. Louise H. Jackson