With its extensive international travel, sets and costumes created for individual productions, many of which are then disposed of, opera does not have a reputation for being particularly green. However, companies and individuals are now making great strides towards sustainability in the face of the climate crisis and are continuing to find ways to make spaces and performances more environmentally sustainable.

In this episode we find out how activists and individuals are challenging the status quo - working towards sustainability in the face of the climate crisis.  Nina speaks to Sebastien Gueze, the French Tenor and activist responsible for publishing the BIOPERA essay, who now also works as a sustainability consultant for the French government, and Italian Stage Director Ilaria Lanzino who has directed a pilot CO2 neutral production at Oper Leipzig.

Watch now on Opera Vision

Artifacts Assembly from Young Artists at the Palau de les Arts

Documentary from Oper Frankfurt on audition training for the Paul Hindemith Orchestra Academy

Masterclass with Sarah Connolly

Eco entertainment

Masque of Might from Opera North

Music extracts

Introduction and closing from Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart): Overture

Massenet ‘Alors c'est bien ici’ from Werther with tenor Mario Chang and the Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

Sivan Eldar ‘Wood behaviour’ from Like Flesh (words: Cordelia Lynn) with soprano Juliette Allen and baritone William Dazeley from Opéra de Lille. Watch flashback here

Handel ‘Verdi prati’ from Alcina with countertenor Patrick Terry at Opera North. Watch flashback here

Find out more about Ilaria Lanzino here

Find out more about Sebastien Guèze here

Access Sebastien’s BIOPÉRA Essay (in French) here

Find out about Opera North’s Green Season here