Young Opera

Opera doesn't have to be understood, it has to be felt

Rocha's personal experience and his interest in helping other artists become music professionals, led him to found the musical collective OPERA JOVEN together with bass-baritone Nicolás Zecchi. This foundation is completely focused on giving opportunities to new talents from his native country, Uruguay, training them as specialists and creating the space for them to grow and gain experience to face the professional artistic world.

OPERA JOVEN gained followers and gradually established itself in the Montevideo artistic circuit. Thus, in 2015/2016, it presented Cosi fan Tutte (Mozart) for 6 performances at the Zitarrosa Hall and 2 at the Unión Theater in San Carlos – Maldonado. In 2017/2018, we presented “La scuola dei gelosi” by Antonio Salieri at the Nelly Goitiño Hall (4 performances), which was an absolute premiere for all of America. In 2019, with excellent reviews and public response, “Gianni Schicchi” by Giacomo Puccini was staged. 4 full performances also at the Zitarrosa Hall.

During the years that the founders have been developing their respective artistic careers, they have found the same lack of initiatives within the artistic environment as when they took their first steps as professionals. This is what drives them to carry out this project, with a view to continuing it over time, with the spirit of enriching the artistic offer with alternative, innovative and quality projects through the generation of opportunities for young singers, bringing them closer to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

This project undoubtedly seeks to align itself with the global trend: greater openness of classical arts, the permanent generation of quality artistic proposals and the capture of new audiences.

The objectives of this foundation are:

• To make the lyrical genre a captivating proposition, breaking all preconceived prejudices. Through careful updating, to position opera as a language that evolves and that can reach all audiences, whatever they may be. It is considered essential to involve young people in theatre. They fervently believe that it is their duty to fight against the gigantic and comfortable virtual offer, so that theatres stay alive.

• To provide the opportunity for young students of lyrical art (National School of Lyrical Art, University of Music) to be in the process of construction and active participation of a comprehensive opera degree, which will be accompanied by experienced young musicians (Montevideo Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestra).

• This project seeks to align itself with the global trend: more openness of classical arts, thinking about the permanent generation of quality artistic proposals and attracting new audiences. Promoting a comprehensive project, building bridges. The “broader” the proposal, the more enriching the result.