A Place for
Democracy

MATTHIAS SCHULZ · ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE ZURICH OPERA HOUSE
 

"An Important Contribution to Empathy, Mutual Understanding and Democratic Culture."

Artistic Director Matthias Schulz on the role of opera in the age of artificial intelligence and social media
 

Opera is a complex and adaptable art form. For around 450 years, it has combined music, singing, theatre, literature, visual art and space into a unique form of Gesamtkunstwerk – a total work of art. Its future lies not in preserving a fixed repertoire, but in continuously engaging with the present: historical works are examined and performed from new perspectives. At the same time, new stories, world premieres and contemporary music theatre productions emerge, addressing the social, political and existential questions of our time.

TANNHÄUSER · THORLEIFUR ANDERSSON · 2025/26 SEASON

 

At a time when everyday life is increasingly shaped by digitalisation and screens, the immediacy of theatre is becoming ever more important. Voices and instruments, bodies in space, the vibrations of sound and the uniqueness of every performance create an authentic experience that cannot be replaced by digital media. At the same time, opera is a place for encounters and social dialogue: by bringing different perspectives to light, helping people embrace ambiguity and offering no easy answers, it makes an important contribution to empathy, mutual understanding and democratic culture.

Key areas of development include greater artistic and formal diversity, the combination of tradition and innovation, new performance and outreach formats, and greater openness towards different generations and social groups. To achieve this, a modern opera house must create appropriate ways for people to engage with the art form and inspire people from different backgrounds to discover the power and emotional immediacy of musical theatre.

This development is to be firmly embedded in the physical spaces and institutional structures of the "Zukunft Oper" project. The new extension is intended not only to address operational and infrastructural shortcomings, but also to enable the artistic and social future of the Opera House. Spaces for education, outreach and cultural participation, as well as publicly accessible areas, will create opportunities for encounters between audiences, artists and the wider community beyond performances.

The long-term objective is to combine the highest artistic quality with social relevance and contemporary accessibility. The Zurich Opera House should remain a vibrant place where the full breadth of the repertoire – from the Baroque period to the present day – meets new forms, voices and perspectives. It should offer artists working conditions that meet contemporary standards, inspire young people to discover musical theatre, and firmly establish opera and dance as open, relevant and future-oriented art forms at the heart of society.

DER ROSENKAVALIER · LYDIA STEIER · 2025/26 SEASON