Folkoperan’s Talent Programme

Folkoperan’s Talent Programme, which has been running since 2024 with support from Signatur, is unique in Sweden and aims to secure and broaden growth in the entire opera and music sector.

The Talent Programme covers the entire chain of tomorrow’s opera artists – from young students in Kulturskolan to newly graduated singers, instrumentalists and conductors from universities.

Folkoperan’s Talent Programme discovers and develops the opera stars of the future

Each year, a handful of talented artists are accepted into the programme, receiving pay and given the same conditions as other performers in Folkoperan’s productions. The talents also get a tailored programme of in-depth, practical learning and coaching from Folkoperan’s artistic management and from industry professionals. Through collaboration with Voksenåsen Music Academies in Oslo they have access to a Nordic network. Together with Kulturskolans Orkesterskola/El Sistema, young orchestra students create a mini opera production during a holiday academy. The Stockholm Youth Symphony Orchestra (Suso) also participates in the programme through rehearsals and concerts. The talent programme is a springboard to working life, creates more jobs in the industry, increases diversity and develops the art of opera in breadth and depth.

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.

Nina Stemme – perhaps Sweden’s biggest international opera star – and conductor Patrik Ringborg are the patrons of the Talent Programme.

 

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 Catanyer Alonso

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

Young orchestra students from Kulturskolan’s Orchestra School/El Sistema aged 12-18 and from Stockholm Youth Symphony Orchestra (Suso) aged 13-22.

Other sponsors of the Talent Programme, apart from Signatur, include the Swedish Arts Council, Olle Engkvists Stiftelse, The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Anders Lindströms musikstiftelse.

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

Film about Folkoperan's Talent Programme (in Swedish)

Om Folkoperan

Folkoperan finns för att göra operakonsten angelägen för alla.  Besök Folkoperan.se för mer information om Talangprogrammet och Folkoperans aktuella produktioner och evenemang.