About us
We connect opera professionals across Asia to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Opera Asia is a network and platform for opera companies, festivals, and professionals across the Asian continent, embracing rich Asian traditions, opera as a European genre and modern day evolutions of opera. We aim to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth in the operatic arts.
Opera Asia serves as a platform for dialogue, resource-sharing, and artistic exchange among its diverse membership, and to provide platforms for which artists are able to show their work and abilities. It also creates opportunities for competition, training and masterclasses.With a mission to strengthen the presence and future of opera throughout Asia and Asian artists globally, Opera Asia connects established institutions, free groups and existing and emerging artists, promoting professionalism in artistic creation via productions, competitions, education, and community engagement.
It facilitates regional and international partnerships, encourages best practices in management and governance, and supports the development of young artists and creative talent.Opera Asia organizes annual conferences, thematic forums, and workshops, providing opportunities for professionals to share expertise, explore co-productions, and address shared challenges. Its initiatives advocate for cultural diversity, non-digital and digital innovation, and outreach to broaden opera’s relevance and accessibility.
Board of Directors
Heather Tan
Danny Chen
Wu Bing Xi
Our Story
Opera Asia was established by co-founders Heather Tan, a Singaporean opera stage director based in Germany, and Danny Chen, a Malaysian opera producer. The idea for Opera Asia emerged after their successful collaboration in 2024, which inspired them to create a platform that would connect Asia with the global opera community. Leveraging their extensive experience in both European and Asian opera production and artistic direction, Heather and Danny set out to promote opera throughout Asia and serve as a vital bridge between the region and the wider world of opera and related art forms.
The Opera Asia team comprises passionate and like-minded individuals who share a unified vision to build connections between Asia and the global opera community. Driven by determination and creativity, the team is committed to turning possibilities – big or small into reality. Their approach combines sensibility, attention to detail, and a deep care for every aspect of their work, ensuring excellence from start to finish.
Mission
01
Connect & Collaborate
Build a region-wide network that links opera companies, artists, educators and supporters, encouraging knowledge-sharing, joint ventures and pooled resources.
02
Create & Elevate
Develop and co-produce innovative works, training programmes and research projects that raise the bar of artistic excellence.
03
Sustain & Empower
Embed financial, social and environmental sustainability in every initiative, securing fair opportunities for today’s practitioners and tomorrow’s talent.
04
Engage & Grow
Re-imagine the opera experience live, digital and community-based to reach broader audiences and foster cross-cultural appreciation at home and abroad.
Focus Areas
A platform for industry groups and individuals or interest groups that is championing opera to discuss ideas and challenges in the opera industry to convene on an annual basis or as necessary.
To identify talents through competitions, development through master class and training with relevant experts, to provide internship opportunities, and to facilitate provision of scholarship.
Facilitate opportunities for cross collaboration between members to improve cost-efficiency and resources e.g. co-production, resource sharing, artist exchange, costume hiring, set hiring etc.
To initiate events to foster cultural and diplomatic exchange to promote opera.
To support creation, innovation and development of the opera genre.
To organize outreach programs and to cultivate supporters and volunteer networks.