This is a new initiative proposed by Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Artistic Director at Finnish National Opera, that is designed to explore the challenges and opportunities in the writing and development of new opera for our time and place with Finnish composers, writers, directors and dramaturgs.
It is hoped that this investment in artists creating and developing new work will serve the future of the art form, its audiences and Finnish artists, including voices new to the art form of opera.
Each year, a maximum of 12 people will be selected for the programme of masterclasses, workshops, mentorships and short practical performance outcomes. These people will then form four 3-strong teams that will include a composer, a writer and a director or dramaturg. Previous opera experience is not required.
Multiple experts with first-hand experience of creating new work internationally will be involved in the process at different points. In addition, experts will make up a panel responsible for selecting the participants for the programme. Other parties involved will include singers as well as technical and administrative personnel from the Finnish National Opera and Ballet.
The new opera writing laboratory, officially The Sugar Factory New Opera Laboratory, is named after the Töölö Sugar Factory, which used to operate on the current site of the Opera House until 1965.
“We hope this opportunity opens opera to a diversity of creative voices and acknowledges the power of sung theatre to tell our stories. The Sugar Factory New Opera Laboratory recognizes opera’s history as an art form that placed the development and presentation of new work at the heart of its social and cultural relevance. Our guiding principle is that opera is written collaboratively by artists for audiences in a way that is meaningful for our time and place”, says Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Artistic Director of the Finnish National Opera.
The main purpose of the programme is process however it is anticipated that four short new contemporary operas will be an outcome each year. At the same time, the programme seeks to increase the art form’s diversity and inclusion. The new topical and hopefully ground-breaking and extraordinary works will be presented to the public in the Almi Hall of the National Opera as work in progress.
Co-funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the programme will be launched in autumn 2025, and the first new works will be staged in spring 2026.
“Initiatives like Sugar Factory are needed in Finland right now. Opera lives strongly in time and we want to do our part to create opportunities for a competent and multi-voiced group of performers. The goals of the Finnish Cultural Foundation include promoting national and international breakthroughs. Trying something new is often a decisive step on this path, says Susanna Pettersson, Chief Executive Officer of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
