The 18th Annual OLA Conference, held in June 2025 at the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, was the venue for the signing of a collaboration agreement between Ópera Latinoamérica (OLA) and the Reina Sofía School of Music of the Fundación Albéniz (Spain).

The agreement was signed in Valencia by Carmen Gloria Larenas, President of OLA and General Director of Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Chile); Andrés Rodríguez, OLA Board Member and Opera Director of Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires; and Julia Sánchez Abeal, CEO of the Reina Sofía School of Music.

In line with OLA’s mission to foster international networks for training, education, and collaboration in the field of opera in Ibero-America, and to build partnerships with global organisations, this new agreement seeks to combine the efforts, actions, and expertise of both institutions. The goal is to launch initiatives that positively impact the classical performing arts and theatre management sectors in Ibero-America. This agreement also places a particular emphasis on developing the artistic talent of young people in the region in areas such as opera singing and musical performance.

“OLA is an organisation that has always been committed to establishing new alliances and collaborations that contribute not only to the development of networks for institutions and artists but also to creating new opportunities for professional growth, particularly for opera singers. We are proud to sign this agreement, which builds a new bridge to connect young talents with global centres for training and opera,” stated Carmen Gloria Larenas, President of Ópera Latinoamérica (OLA) and General Director of the Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Chile).

“The OLA annual conferences are key moments to strengthen relationships and to present initiatives that have been in development and take shape through agreements like this one. OLA and the Reina Sofía School of Music are organisations capable of generating synergies that benefit young people through professionalisation actions such as digital forums, mentorships, and artistic residencies. Agreements like this reaffirm our belief that the artistic potential of the Ibero-American region is greatly enriched through such forms of collaboration,” said Paulina Ricciardi, Executive Director of OLA.

“Since its foundation over 30 years ago, the School has maintained a deep and lasting connection with young Latin American talents. Among our alumni are leading Spanish-speaking opera figures such as Celso Albelo, Aquiles Machado, Ismael Jordi, and Ana Lucrecia García. Currently, 30% of our student body comes from Latin America, and all benefit from free tuition, which is one of our defining traits. With this alliance with OLA, we seek to continue strengthening this natural relationship with the Ibero-American artistic scene and contribute to the training of young talents from new generations of artists, while reinforcing the School’s role as a destination for excellence in musical education,” affirmed Julia Sánchez Abeal, CEO of the Reina Sofía School of Music.

Joint Action Plan

The collaboration agreement between OLA and the Reina Sofía School of Music of the Fundación Albéniz includes the design of a joint action plan that addresses the main interests, contexts, and development pathways of artists in the Ibero-American region.

The actions defined in the agreement include an initial diagnostic phase to then define concrete lines of work. Among them is the possibility of creating and exploring collaborative networks – through artistic residencies that strengthen ties between both institutions – as well as offering opportunities for collaboration and professional dialogue.