Works in progress at the Opera

Works in progress at the Opera

Works in Progress is a program for the development of new works by Norwegian contemporary composers. The goal is to strengthen the development of music for opera, ballet and orchestra. The program has the same name as the previous Works in Progress, but is a completely new arena for the assessment, testing and development of new musical works. The Norwegian Composers' Association and the Norwegian Opera & Ballet are equal partners in the project, which will initially be carried out for a trial period of three years. The Norwegian composer community is very happy about the establishment of this unique arena, says Asbjørn Schaathun, chairman of the Norwegian Composers' Association. With this agreement, we have a framework for our musical activities that should serve as an example for other institutions – where the institution and the artists come together to ensure professional development through systematic activity, based on mutual trust. The development of the works will normally take place through a three-stage process, where the last stage, for the works that are included throughout, is a presentation with the audience present and where, among others, ballet and opera directors from all over the Nordic region will be invited. The program is led by a professional committee that will assess all submitted works, but can also initiate projects themselves. The committee consists of Håkon Berge from the Norwegian Composers' Association, the Swedish composer Jonas Forssell and from the Norwegian Opera & Ballet, orchestra administrator Jørn Pedersen and CEO Tom Remlov. In all our work here at the Opera, we will be involved in putting a name to our own time, and then we must also provide development opportunities for the stories that the artists of our own time want to tell, says CEO of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Tom Remlov. With this, we are significantly expanding our contact surface with Norwegian contemporary artists, and I look forward to getting started with the concrete work. Within all three of our art forms – opera, ballet and symphonic music – composers play a crucial role, and as a national institution, DNO&B has a special responsibility as a partner and arena for this group of artists. For more information and interview requests, Lene Jacobsen, information consultant at DNO&Blj@operaen.noTel: 47 91 52 32