What we do
Green Opera is a charity with a vision for making music and drama in a way that is environmentally sustainable. As an organisation taking a stand on the impact of arts on the environment, we are dedicated to inspiring others both to engage with this wonderful art-form and to take care of the world around them. We programme a variety of works from both the mainstream operatic repertoire in addition to lesser known or contemporary works. We hope to introduce the public who may be unfamiliar with opera as an art-form to the full spectrum of music and drama that it has to offer.
We’d like to see the arts inspire ownership of the emotions and narrative of climate change. We want to see spaces where audiences and artists alike can talk openly and listen readily, engaging both practically and imaginatively with the challenges of climate change. We want to hear about partnerships and collaborations and best practice, to hear that sector-wide behaviour change and diversity and inclusion are now the norm. We want to feel as though the climate crisis is being treated as a crisis, and that the arts aren’t justifying extractive art for extractive art’s sake. We want our arts to be measured with intention, communicated with determination, and performed with courage.
How we do it
Producing music and drama sustainably isn’t as complicated as it might seem. All of our resources are sustainably sourced: we upcycle props, costumes or scenery and recycle anything we no longer have a use for. We also use a paperless ticketing system and where printing is unavoidable, we do so on recycled paper. We are also interested in repurposing buildings: many of our productions take place in spaces that are not designed for theatrical use such as churches and libraries. We hope to extend our interest to abandoned and neglected spaces in the future in order to rejuvenate spaces that have been neglected.
We are also committed to educating the next generation of artists and audiences. We deliver educational workshops at schools to introduce children to opera and also encourage to take care of the world around them. We also aim to work with vocational training establishments and young artist programmes to deliver workshops in being an environmentally-friendly performer and sustainable production design.
Work with us
GO is always looking to work with others who are equally passionate about responding to the climate crisis. We believe that we are stronger together and are always ready to work with and learn from others both in the arts and beyond. We are constantly looking to find new ways to improve the sustainability of our practice and share our knowledge with the rest of the arts community. Read more about our partnerships here.
GO has been lucky enough to partner with several inspiring organisations and artists. We would love to hear from you and build our network. Simply email us at info@greenopera.co.uk or fill in our contact form!
