Name
Working Group Session 2: PURPOSE
Date & Time
Thursday, October 22, 2026, 1:40 PM - 2:20 PM
Speakers
Laura Canning, Opera North
Aoife Daly, Irish National Opera
Finnegan Downie Dear, Shadwell Opera
Hannah Watton, Laidlaw Foundation
Aoife Daly, Irish National Opera
Finnegan Downie Dear, Shadwell Opera
Hannah Watton, Laidlaw Foundation
Description
When Timothée Chalamet spoke publicly about opera, the world paid attention.
His comments reflected what certain younger circles may feel: that opera is extraordinary but distant, exciting in theory yet alienating. This session asks what it would genuinely take to change that.
Beyond the marketing and pricing - we explore the fundamental question of whether opera is building itself for the next generation.