Our Way 2/22 1
OPERA TEXT OURSUSTAINABLEWAY.COM/SOFIA ZETTERMAN
ILLUSTRATION ANNELIE CARLSTRÖM PHOTO SÖREN VILKS, OLOF HOLDAR Opera – Magic music for the many Thanks to a brand-new initiative, Soya Group is helping to make opera more accessible to kids. With the concept ‘Pocket Opera’, all it takes for children all over Sweden to experience opera is two singers, a van and a USB flash drive. ”W 16 OUR WAY 2/2022 e should be very proud of this opera. Thanks to Wallenius, children all over Sweden get to experience opera in this unique way,” says Cecilia Kolga, Group Relations Executive Officer. “All forms of culture have a positive impact on children, which we’ve seen through our seven-year-long collaboration with ‘Young at the Opera’. Before this new project, our main target was school children in the Stockholm area, and it now feels really good to give children all over Sweden the same opportunity.” Cecilia is responsible for Soya Group’s collective sponsorship and community support. THE VISION TO give all children – regardless of location – access to culture is the driving force behind Wallenius’ long collabDIRECTED BY Gustav Englund, “Sova Vaken” (Sleep Awake) highlights a child’s thoughts and fears about her parents’ divorce. Portraying divorce from a young child’s perspective, the opera does not shy away from dealing with difficult emotions. Jessica Elevant is one Cecilia Kolga Group Relations Executive Officer, Wallenius Lines of the two performing singers of “Sova Vaken”. “It’s such a blessing to perform for children,” she says. “Their response is immediate, and we get loads of energy from these performances. I’ve done two shows today, and sure, I’m tired but I could easily do another five, thanks to the children in the audience.” oration with the Royal Swedish Opera’s “Young at the Opera” initiative. Soya Group’s three previous collaborations were all very successful. For this latest project, young audiences in 80 schools and theatres all over the country got to experience a new opera during the summer and fall. Pocket The music for “Sova Vaken” is composed by Daniel Nelson and the libretto is written by dramaturg Irena Kraus, who has several important children’s plays to her credit.