Within the framework of the Liceu anniversaries, Conservatori’s 185th and Teatre’s 175th, the three institutions collaborate together to promote opportunities for Liceu Conservatory’s young musicians in the productions of the Teatre, also contributing to the artistic excellence of the shows.
The Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation, the Liceu Conservatory Foundation and the Gran Teatre del Liceu have just signed a collaboration agreement that allows establishing new synergies to promote a framework of opportunities for the young creators and musicians from the Liceu Conservatory in the productions of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, thus contributing to the creative and musical excellence of the shows.
For the Gran Teatre del Liceu 2021-22 season, the projects Trencanous-Jazz, La cuina de Rossini and (Òh!)Pera will have students and/or graduates of the Liceu Conservatory thanks to Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation’s patronage. An action that promotes the transition towards professionalization and job placement for musicians, accompanying them on their artistic journey and discovering emerging talent.
The presentation of the collaboration agreement was held in Gran Teatre’s Tenor Viñas hall with the participation of Maria Serrat, general director of the Conservatori Liceu Foundation, Sergi Ferrer-Salat, president of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation and the Conservatori Liceu Foundation and Valentí Oviedo, general director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu.
Sergi Ferrer-Salat affirmed that well understood philanthropy can have a very powerful effect in creating opportunities and in creating a society with less social inequality, as well as eradicate dependence on charity and empower to the people. For Ferrer-Salat, philanthropy is “an inalienable ethical duty, an absolutely unbreakable moral commitment and, what a better way to do it through music education”. Ferrer-Salat’s philanthropic task is developed in “the field of ecology, [and] the infinite transforming power of music and specifically of music education”. Ferrer-Salat wants to contribute to “creating equal opportunities through music education, which is a key element to improve academic performance and, therefore, the possibilities of breaking this meritocracy that enmeshes social inequalities”. Within the field of musical excellence, the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation has been collaborating with the Conservatori Liceu for years to give opportunities to young musicians through scholarships, master classes through the Liceu Cambra and Liceu Jazz programmes, the purchase of instruments and all kinds of resources to enable their involvement in the professional world. As Ferrer-Salat points out, “after all, a musician is trained to be able to play live and, therefore, we must do everything possible to guarantee their professionalization, [and] to be able to offer this opportunity to the most outstanding young people of the world. Conservatori Liceu is a privilege”.
Maria Serrat explained the origin of the Liceu and the reason for the celebration Conservatori’s 185th and Gran Teatre’s 175th anniversaries. The Sociedad Liceo Filodramático de Montesión was founded in 1837 in order to create declamation and singing chairs, as well as other basic theoretical and study schools. The chairs were inaugurated on April 27, 1838 in the Saló de cent of the Barcelona City Council. From its beginnings, the Liceu constituted the chairs and built a theater, at that time in the old monastery of Montesión.
In 1844 the exchange of the Montesión lands for those of the former Trinitarios convent located in the Ramblas of Barcelona was requested, due to the high number of students and the need for a larger space. Subsequently, on April 11, 1845, the first stone of the new building was laid, which included the halls of the chairs, and a large theater in which the performances of students and teachers could finance them. On April 4, 1847, the theater was inaugurated. Starting in 1854, the Liceu Society and the Shareholders Society functioned separately, although the obligation of financing the chairs by the shareholders was maintained.
Maria Serrat ended her intervention by showing how Liceu’s DNA, born from civil society, is linked to philanthropy and musical education from childhood to professionalization. Finally, she mentioned how Liceu has become an internationally recognized brand based on three generic words; Liceu (education), Conservatori (music school) and Teatre (performances); and how this agreement unites the historical spirit and the present reality of the two institutions and the philanthropy of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation.
Valentí Oviedo highlighted that “today we explain and re-explain what is this relationship of so much history between the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the Conservatori Liceu in a year of celebrations and where the Gran Teatre del Liceu would not be what it is without the Conservatori Liceu, where in the genesis of this theater there is a deep educational and formative vocation clearly promoted by civil society. […] What we are explaining today is the reinterpretation, the rewriting of that history”.
With this collaboration, the Gran Teatre del Liceu promotes quality shows, enriching the productions of the Liceu Aprèn with live music. With the conviction that through music, opera and art we can connect with people’s emotions, the Teatre is committed to an educational program based on fundamental values such as excellence, creativity, respect and equity, shared by the three institutions, is committed to awakening the curiosity of children and young people, as well as strengthening their capacities and skills.
The participation of students and graduates of the Conservatori Liceu in these productions fulfills one of the educational principles of the Conservatori, the training of students in interpretive and creative activities that allow them to gain experience in conditions analogous to professional life and bring them closer to his future artistic activity. The participation of students in their own activities or activities carried out in external spaces is encouraged through existing agreements with other entities, as well as the promotion of personal projects that arise from internal dynamics among students.
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