ROLE: Reimagining Opera Learning & Education
ROLE is a project led by the Conservatorio Statale di Musica Cesare Pollini in Padua, Italy, within the framework of “MUSIC THEATRE AND NEW TECHNOLOGY”, CUP B26E24000320006, funded by the PNRR ITALIA and the European Union through the NextGenerationEU programme, under the call “Directorial Decree no. 124 of 19-07-2023” (M4C1 – Investimento 3.4 “Didattica e competenze universitarie avanzate”, sub-investimento “Partenariati strategici/iniziative per innovare la dimensione internazionale del sistema AFAM).
The project is structured around the following two main actions:
- The digitisation of a collection of 18th-century opera manuscripts
- The production of a film-opera based on Mozart’s Così fan tutte
Theses two components converge in a shared aim: to preserve and revitalise musical heritage. On the one hand, the digitisation of historic manuscripts enhances access to and usability of invaluable materials that document the history of opera and musical production between the 18th and 19th centuries. On the other hand, the film-opera offers an innovative means of reinterpreting operatic repertoire, exploring new artistic languages and methods of dissemination.
Together, these two strands form a bridge between past and future. Both initiatives are united by a common goal, to bring music closer to a broader international audience, and demonstrate how tradition can be enriched through contemporary technologies and emerging forms of communication.
Introducing the partners
The ROLE project is the outcome of several transnational collaborations between the Conservatorio Statale di Musica Cesare Pollini in Padua, Italy, and a number of other Higher Music Education (HME) institutions and stakeholders.
On the one hand, the film-opera production will be realised through an international partnership with the KASK & Conservatorium (HOGENT – Howest) in Ghent, Belgium. The cast will comprise students and faculty members from both institutions, highlighting the project’s collaborative and educational dimensions. The project will also collaborate with FilmArt Studio, a local production company renowned for its expertise in audiovisual and cinematic productions, including corporate videos, documentaries, and communication services.
On the other hand, all communication and dissemination activities will be coordinated by the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC), a European network of over 320 HME institutions worldwide, of which the project’s academic partners are Active members.
For more information about ROLE, please visit the official project website www.roleopera.com or contact Alfonso Guerra, AEC Network and Finance Manager, at alfonsoguerra@aec-music.eu.
