It was during her years working as an opera singer in Germany that Breana Stillman first encountered the transformative power of the art form beyond the stage, specifically through children’s choirs involved in opera productions. What she witnessed there, the musical growth, the exposure to languages and cultures, the discipline and sense of community it fostered in young people, planted a seed that would eventually grow into something far larger than she had imagined.

From those early observations, the Australia native who began developing workshops and programs for young people who would not otherwise have access to music education. That work evolved into OperAffinity, now an international cultural initiative based in Italy that uses opera and classical music to connect artists across cultures while creating professional pathways for young musicians.

Since its founding, OperAffinity has worked with refugee children in Italy and Germany alongside organizations such as Save the Children and the Jesuit Refugee Service, developed large-scale outreach programs in Kenya that have reached over 6,000 children, and established an international festival in Todi that has featured collaborations with institutions including the Accademia Musicale Chigiana and musicians from the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

The 2026 edition of the festival marks a significant expansion, with an international faculty that includes soprano Marie McLaughlin, bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, Audrey Saint-Gil, opera director Stefano Vizioli, Laetitia Ruccolo, and Felice Venanzoni. Developing collaborations with the Aspen Music Festival and the National Opera Studio in London are also in the works, with scholarships for singers and pianists among the planned outcomes.

OperaWire spoke with Stillman about how OperAffinity came to be, what the organization has learned from working across such different contexts, and what the 2026 festival has in store.

OperaWire. Tell me about your background in opera. How did you know you wanted to be part of the opera world?

Breana Stillman: I didn’t come from a classical music or opera background at all. I grew up in Australia and my early musical training was actually quite varied. I studied piano, saxophone and flute, and I was incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful woodwind teacher who made music feel exciting and joyful. Practising never felt like a chore, and I think that experience has really stayed with me. It’s a big part of why I feel so strongly now about music education and giving young people access to that kind of environment.

I had always wanted to sing, but my parents, who weren’t from a musical background, felt that three instruments were probably enough. They told me I could start singing lessons when I turned thirteen, if I still wanted to. Of course, by then my interest had only grown, so I began with musical theatre. Very quickly, my teacher recognised that my voice was more suited to classical repertoire, and we shifted in that direction, which at the time I wasn’t entirely convinced about.

Around that same period, my family bought a house in the Umbrian hills, in a small town called Todi. That was really the turning point for me. Being there, surrounded by such a rich sense of history, culture and architecture, and discovering opera within that setting, completely changed how I experienced music. The theatre, the atmosphere, the spaces themselves, it all felt very real and very immediate.

I remember being completely captivated by it. Todi has these extraordinary settings that feel almost like they belong on an operatic stage, and I think even then, quite instinctively, I felt a strong connection to the idea of creating something there in the future.

So my path into opera wasn’t direct, but once I discovered it in that environment, it became something I was deeply drawn to, both artistically and, eventually, in terms of building something of my own within that world.

OW: What inspired the idea for OperAffinity? What are some of the challenges of making it a reality?

BS: The idea for OperAffinity really came from two very different experiences happening at the same time.

I was working as an opera singer in Germany, and I was struck by how involved children’s choirs were in the productions. They weren’t just there musically, they were completely immersed in the process. They had confidence, discipline, a real sense of belonging, and they were extraordinary young musicians, but also just incredibly grounded, engaged children. It was very clear how much that environment was shaping them.

At the same time, I had a personal connection to Kenya, where my father was living. When I travelled there, I saw communities where children had little to no access to music education at all. And I remember thinking very simply, why shouldn’t these children have access to the same kind of experience? Not necessarily to become professional musicians, but to benefit from everything that music can give.

That contrast stayed with me, and I couldn’t really let it go. I spoke about the idea with a few colleagues at the opera house, and they immediately wanted to be involved. Through a connection with Sister Mary, an Irish catholic nun working in the slum communities of Nairobi, we were able to organise our first workshops which reached over 6,000 children and that was the beginning of OperAffinity.

Since then, we have returned to Kenya many times, developing the work further through collaborations with institutions such as the Italian Institute of Culture, the Alliance Française, and the Australian Embassy. Together, we have built large-scale music programmes, providing young Kenyan musicians with access to international training and opportunities, and we now have projects underway in other parts of Africa as well.

In terms of challenges, I think the biggest has been building something that sits between very different worlds. You’re working across cultures, across levels of access, and often with very limited resources, while trying to maintain a high artistic standard. It requires constant balance, and a lot of persistence and incredible energy, but it’s also what makes the work so meaningful.

OW: What is the mission of OperAffinity?

BS: The mission of OperAffinity is to make high-level music education and performance more accessible, while using music as a way to connect people across very different communities.

At its core, the work operates on two levels. On one side, we run outreach programmes in places where access to music education is limited, particularly across parts of Africa and in refugee communities. These programmes give young people the opportunity to engage with music in a meaningful way, often for the first time, and to experience the confidence, discipline, and sense of community that comes with it.

Alongside this, the OperAffinity Festival in Umbria is a platform where young talent can develop, perform, and be seen, working closely with leading institutions, artists, and industry professionals. Through these collaborations, we are creating real pathways into the professional world, while also bringing together artists from very different backgrounds into one shared space.

What is central to the mission is that these two sides are connected. We are not only supporting young artists already within the system, but also identifying and nurturing talent that might otherwise never be discovered, and giving them access to international opportunities.

And just as importantly, it’s about the audience. We want to create a musical experience that feels open and immediate, something that belongs to every person in the room. Not just a performance to watch, but something people feel part of and carry with them afterwards.

Ultimately, it’s about creating opportunity, connecting communities, and building a space where both artists and audiences are part of something meaningful.

OW: You are based in Italy. What makes Italy the ideal place from which OperAffinity can take on its mission?

BS: I feel incredibly fortunate to be based between Rome and Todi in Umbria, when I’m not working on projects elsewhere. It’s a very inspiring place to live and work, and I don’t take that for granted.

Italy has such a deep cultural and musical heritage, particularly in opera. The density of theatres, historic performance spaces, and the tradition of live music here is unlike anywhere else. It creates an environment where this kind of work can feel very natural and very alive.

Todi, in particular, has been central to that. It’s an extraordinary town, both in its history and in its atmosphere. There is something about the spaces there, the theatres, the piazzas, the architecture, that lends itself so naturally to performance. It allows us to create experiences that feel immersive and immediate, and that audiences connect with very easily.

And quite practically, Italy is also a place that artists are drawn to. There is a natural appeal to working here, and I’ve found that bringing international artists to the festival is never a challenge. People want to come to Italy, and once they experience Todi, they want to return. That has been incredibly important in building a strong and consistent artistic network around the festival.

At the same time, being based here places OperAffinity at the centre of the international opera world. It allows us to collaborate with leading artists and institutions, while bringing young musicians into a context that is both historically rich and professionally relevant.

So it’s not just about the beauty of the setting, although that is certainly part of it. It’s about being in a place where culture, history, and artistic life are deeply embedded, and using that as a foundation to build something that connects both artists and audiences from all over the world.

OW: You’ve worked with refugees. How did these initiatives come about? What are some of the takeaways from that experience?

BS: The refugee initiatives began during the pandemic, in Germany. We started working in a refugee camp there, and the experience had a very immediate impact. It felt like a natural extension of the work we had already been doing in Africa.

After that, the projects continued in Italy, particularly in Rome, through collaborations with organisations such as Save the Children and Jesuit Refugee Service. With the support of the cultural department of the Vatican, we were able to bring workshops directly into communities, working not only with children and young people, but also with groups of women.

Through my work in Africa, I had already seen the impact music can have in bringing people together. It creates a shared space, even when people come from very different backgrounds and experiences. In these contexts, where many people had come from very difficult situations, I felt that music could offer a way to connect, and also a moment of relief.

What was remarkable is that, although it sometimes took a little time to break down barriers, every workshop eventually reached that same point of connection. You could see people relax, engage, and be present in a completely different way.

We created very interactive experiences, concerts, singalongs, and workshops where artists from different disciplines were involved. For example, illustrators would work with the children, drawing and colouring operatic scenes while those scenes were being performed live in front of them. It created a very immediate and immersive environment.

The biggest takeaway for me was how powerful music can be in creating connection and understanding. Even in very complex situations, it offers a way for people to come together, to express themselves, and, even if only for a moment, to step outside of what they are going through.

OW: At what point did the idea for the festival emerge? What are the goals of the festival and how do you differentiate it from other festivals in the opera world? What are some of the challenges of putting together such a large-scale event?

BS: The idea for the festival didn’t come all at once, it really evolved over time.

When I was younger and first came to Todi, I remember being completely struck by how beautiful it was. The spaces, the theatre, the atmosphere, it all felt so special and almost surreal. I was completely inspired by it, and I remember thinking very clearly, I wish more people could experience this. I wanted to find a way to give other people that same feeling, that same sense of being completely immersed in something beautiful.

As I continued my career, I had the privilege of working with and meeting so many extraordinary artists, and I began to imagine bringing those people together in a place like Todi, creating concerts that felt immersive and unique, using the town itself as a stage.

Then the work in Africa really shifted things. It made me think more deeply about access, about opportunity, and about how powerful music can be in connecting people from very different backgrounds. That’s when the idea of the festival, as it exists now, really came together, combining artistic excellence with a broader sense of purpose.

The goal of the festival is to create something that feels alive and open. It’s about giving audiences a powerful and memorable experience of music, something that doesn’t feel distant, but something they are part of. At the same time, it’s about creating real opportunities for young musicians, bringing them into a high-level artistic environment, connecting them with leading artists and institutions, and giving them the chance to perform, grow, and be seen.

What makes it different is that it’s not just about performance or training in isolation. It brings together artists from very different backgrounds, including those from outreach programmes, into one shared space. There is a real sense of exchange and collaboration, and that creates something much more human and much more meaningful.

In terms of challenges, there are many. Working in a small town in Italy comes with a very particular kind of bureaucracy, which can sometimes be difficult to navigate, especially coming from a different cultural background. There are moments where you have a very clear vision, but the process of realising it requires a lot of patience and trust in the team around you.

We are also still relatively young, this is only the third edition, so building the level of financial support needed to grow the festival internationally is an ongoing challenge.

And then there are the practical realities, coordinating artists from around the world, managing logistics, balancing ambition with resources. But at the same time, the response has been incredibly positive. Artists want to return, institutions want to collaborate, and that gives me a lot of confidence in what we are building.

It’s something I care about very deeply, and that’s what keeps it moving forward.

OW: You mentioned some upcoming collaborations with Aspen and the National Opera Studio. How have these collaborations come about and how do you hope they support the mission of OperAffinity?

BS: These collaborations have come about very organically, building on relationships that have developed through the work we’ve already been doing.

Last year, we had a very successful collaboration with the Accademia Chigiana and Sestetto Stradivari dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. As part of that, we premiered a work by the American composer Alan Fletcher, which was received extremely well. Through that collaboration, we began speaking with the Aspen Music Festival, where Alan Fletcher is CEO and President, as well as with the opera programme led by Renée Fleming.

From there, we have started developing the idea of inviting some of their most outstanding singers and pianists to take part in the OperAffinity Festival. For us, this represents a real step forward in terms of artistic level and international exchange, bringing in young artists from one of the most respected programmes in the world.

Alongside this, we are also developing a collaboration with the National Opera Studio in London. Marie McLaughlin, who has been a very important part of OperAffinity and is returning again this year, is also closely connected to the National Opera Studio. Through this relationship, she, together with a panel of leading professionals, will be involved in selecting a singer who will take part in the festival on scholarship.

We see this as the beginning of a longer-term partnership, and we are very excited to be working with Eric Mealer, the Artistic Director of the National Opera Studio, and to support such talented young singers coming out of that programme.

Overall, these collaborations are incredibly important for the mission of OperAffinity. They allow us to build real connections between leading international institutions and the festival, while creating meaningful opportunities for young artists to perform, develop, and be seen within a high-level professional environment.

OW: What other long-term goals do you have for OperAffinity?

BS: This September the next edition represents a real step forward for the festival, building on what was already a high level of artistic collaboration and welcoming a new group of internationally renowned artists to the faculty.

Alongside the continued involvement of renowned soprano Marie McLaughlin, we are welcoming artists such as Luca Pisaroni, who performs regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, and Wiener Staatsoper; Stefano Vizioli, one of Italy’s most established opera directors, with a long-standing career across all major Italian opera houses; and Audrey Saint-Gil, who works as both a conductor and vocal specialist with leading European opera houses and young artist programmes.

The faculty is further strengthened by the continued involvement of Felice Venanzoni and Laetitia Ruccolo, who bring extensive experience from major international opera houses and young artist programmes.

For the singers, this changes the experience completely. They are not only receiving high-level training, but working directly with artists who are active at the very top of the profession. We are expanding the opera programme to include more developed scene work and a wider range of performances, giving them real opportunities to perform within a serious artistic context and for an international audience.

At the same time, this allows us to create something very special for the public. We are presenting opera in a way that feels alive and unexpected, scenes in unique locations, collaborations with internationally recognised artists, and performances that move beyond the traditional theatre setting into the life of the town.

Alongside this, cultural diplomacy and education remain at the heart of the festival. Through our collaborations with leading institutions and our outreach programmes, we are creating a space where artists from very different backgrounds come together, exchange ideas, and access opportunities at an international level.

Looking ahead, the goal is to continue building on this and to grow OperAffinity into a leading international festival in opera and classical music, with full-scale operatic and concert productions, including orchestra, while maintaining what makes it unique. A strong commitment to outreach, education, and creating meaningful opportunities for young artists.

It’s about building something that operates at the highest artistic level, while still being rooted in connection, opportunity, and a sense of shared experience for both performers and audiences.