(Photo credit: Ozge Balkan)

During the week-long program Opera by the Fjord in Bergen, Norway, co-creator and conductor Sascha Goetzel spoke with OperaWire about this unique young artist program.

Not only does Opera by the Fjord take young opera singers, it brings together budding orchestra musicians, conductors, and répétiteurs. This year, the program featured performances of Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro” and Bizet’s “Carmen,” along with a gala concert. Singers are given the opportunity to work with the vocal pedagogues soprano Solveig Kringlebotn, baritone Peter Mattei, and vocal coach Hans-Otto Ehrström.

Goetzel shared how this program has evolved over the past six years and his thoughts on why opera requires authenticity.

OperaWire: How did the idea for Opera by the Fjord come about?

Sascha Goetzel: So, in the pandemic, as we know, many singers and performers, in general, were devastated, as we didn’t know about the future. But during that time, there were so many possibilities to interview people. So, together with my long-time friend and colleague, Eivind Gullberg Jensen, who is the chief of the Bergen National Opera, we conceptualized this program for the young conductors as an online mentorship program. We called it “Be Prepared.” We invited young conductors to join us with a score and asked them, “So what kind of sound do you imagine?” “Show us how you would give it dance,” or “How can you show this to the orchestra?” And this then allowed the conductors to adapt. So this approach opened up different perspectives on the same score, but with the conductors holding highest respect for each other and their artistic approach. And it became popular very fast and actually became part of Dirigentloftet’s program.

When Eivind got the position here in Bergen he asked me about developing an educational program for young artists. And I actually had one in conception and I adapted it a little bit and sent it to him… We were reflecting about how to do it, and we both are very passionate about opera, and we agreed we wanted to create a program where we could contribute something [that] we feel [is really missing] at the moment… We wanted to create a protected space for one week where everybody — singers, instrumentalists, répétiteurs, etc. — can actually learn from each other. They learn about the art forms, but also how to work better together to create opera.

We immediately felt that people enjoyed it so much… You’re in a room with a conducting student, and a young singer, and a young répétiteur, and there is the stage director, and [everyone is gathered] together… going over how storytelling in opera works and what it needs.

OW: How many people do you have participating now?

SG: This year we had over 400 singer applicants and more than 100 conducting applicants. There is a very positive dynamic here and I’m really, really happy about this group. The age range is 18 to 32, but each year is very different.

OW: How do you curate this group of people? What are you looking for to make this group work?

SG: In other years, we saw that technical abilities are actually the base of becoming a great artist. So what we look for when we go through the video auditions is for the artistic integrity of the young person. Then we [consider] if the young person really shows a willingness to be authentic with themselves and actually create a uniqueness in what they do.

OW: Do you pick the faculty or students first?

SG: First comes the faculty, because the faculty creates the space. We have people from the best opera houses in the world sitting in the orchestra. We have voice coaches, international singers that sing everywhere in the world and at the top houses. It’s important for us that when the students come, they know they are taken care of.

Some of the singers are singing with the orchestra for the first time, for example. So they need to know that there is a deep caring here. It’s not about what the artistic vision I have, it’s about bringing all your experience and then actually listening to what the students want to say, what they have to offer, and then you try to give them the best tools for them with your experience. This allows them to express themselves even better. This is how we choose the faculty.

OW: Tell me about the repertoire, please.

SG: We had two years where we involved Wagner, but this year we have “Le nozze di Figaro” and “Carmen.” So, this year the students are quite young, but it changes each year depending on what they sing. We have the gala concert also. The singers get prepared by the coaches, but also the conductors, for the musical background, and then they can really show their best in the gala concert. And that concert is conducted completely by conducting students. At the end everyone gets up onstage and it’s beautiful.

For the shows, they only have one week to develop their role and work with Ivar Tindberg. He works with them on staging and always makes the staging interesting. And then we have the costume design department from Bergen National Opera. We have a small- to medium-sized stage and it works very well with the set design and architecture.

For “Carmen,” the idea is this “green revolution” — they are fighting for a better planet. Ivar kind of melts the original story with a subject which is now very important. It’s always a combination which I think is important for young singers to see why we do what we do. It’s not about creating a new superstar, it’s about the singers having the opportunity to learn about it, and then also to reinvent it for themselves. That’s one of the real treasures of opera. Opera has survived since [ancient] Greek times because it was constantly reinvented by the next generation of performers. This is the feeling we want to give them: you are out there and it’s up to you now to make this incredible show and to grow.

We really want… to help them see the artform which combines, architecture, sculpture, literature, music, dance, theater, etc. It’s the only artform in which multiple artforms are combined in one. We really have to take care of the future generation of performers so that they understand this and then embrace it.

OW: What is your favorite part of this week?

SG: There’s so many! First of all, the [setting and] environment is so beautiful, so I always look forward to the nature because of its inspiration. But then, I think it’s the first rehearsal with the orchestra and singers together. That moment is when all the energy and the magic starts in a way you cannot control. That’s when everybody really starts to feel that “together energy.” Just seeing how this all comes together — it’s amazing.

OW: For young artists hoping to participate in this program, what would you tell them?

SG: When you audition, don’t only focus on singing every note right or every note beautifully — show us what you as an artist want to say. I think that makes a difference when we go through the videos: to see if somebody really is committing humanly to this artform. Same for conductors. It’s important that it’s as natural as possible. We don’t look for somebody that can conduct everything perfectly — we need somebody who takes care of the sound, who breathes with the orchestra. If it’s already an experienced young opera conductor, we want to see how they’re breathing with the singers, see if they support singers or are opposing something. There’s this constant dialogue that is, for us, the most important. I just want to encourage all of the young artists to believe in themselves and in their authenticity.