The Talent Programme

Folkoperan’s newly established Talent Programme exists to develop the next generation of opera starrs, offering them professional development and creative encounters. The programme, which received support in the 2024 Signatur Programme, is unique in Sweden and aims to secure and broaden growth in the entire opera and music sector. It is aimed at young music students in primary school as well as newly singers, musicians and conductors newly graduated from Sweden’s music colleges.

Discovering and developing the opera stars of the future

Folkoperan’s Talent Programme functions as a springboard into working life that aims to create more jobs and develop the art of opera in terms of quality, quantity and depth. In this way, Folkoperan wants to reverse the current downward trend of drastically reduced employment opportunities for freelancers in musical theatre. Folkoperan is the people’s opera and strives to facilitate opportunities for more people to participate in Swedish cultural life. The programme considers the needs of the entire sector and aims to to attract a more heterogeneous group to get into playing music and eventually applying for one of the higher education programmes.

Patron of the Talent Programme is the international opera star Nina Stemme.

Folkoperan Talents, 2024-25 Season

Opera singers
Karin Mobacke – soprano, Sir Arne’s Treasure (choir) and The Magic Flute (First lady)
Kari Koskinen – alto, Sir Arne’s Treasure (choir) and The Magic Flute (Third lady)
Minna Tägil – soprano, The Magic Flute (Papagena)
Endre Aaberge Dahl – tenor, The Magic Flute (Prince Tamino)

Musicians

Johannes Carlsson – percussion, Sir Arne’s Treasure
Vidar Karlsvärd – violin I, Sir Arne’s Treasure
Malin Kjellgren – harp, Sir Arne’s Treasure

Conductors

Linda Van Der Spaa

Josep Castanyer Alonso

Young orchestra students aged 12-18 from Kulturskolan’s orchestra school/El Sistema.

 

Other sponsors of the Talent Programme, apart from Signatur, include the Swedish Arts Council, the Olle Engkvist Foundation and The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.

Private gifts from Unni Trolle, Karl Otto Bonnier Annika Levin & Jacob Wallenberg, Eva Aronson and others.