The heart of Asia and Opera combined
About Us
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.
Our Story
Opera Asia was created by its Co-Founder Heather Tan, a Singaporean opera stage director based in Germany as a needed bridge between Asia and the World, in the field of Opera and its related art forms, with the knowledge of production and artistic direction from her experience in Europe.
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The Team is made out of like minded, determined individuals with the similar vision to build this bridge, and hopes to realise possibilities, regardless of how small or large, with determination and creativity, sensibility and care for details from start to finish.
Co-Founder Danny Chen started his passion for music when he joined the Selangor Philharmonic Choir of Selangor back in 2001. In 2003, he had hisfirst encounter with opera music when he sang in the chorus ofTurandot (2003) and Carmen (2004) organized by the Penang ArtsCouncil. His career in the oil and gas industry then sent him acrossthe causeway to Singapore where he had the opportunity to sing inthe chorus of several operas and concerts with the Singapore LyricOpera.In 2009, he returned to Malaysia and wrote a book, “train2e@tKuala Lumpur” featuring heritage food destinations along the trainnetwork. He hosted the MH 48hours stopover YouTube program forMAS and he started the Eat, Sing & Travel People, which thenbecame Kuala Lumpur City Opera in 2015. Danny is also an award-winning marketer with 27 years of corporate experience in the oil &gas industry.Danny holds a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Marketingand a Diploma in Advanced Marketing Research.
Heather Tan
Co-Founder, Director
Danny Chen
Co-Founder, Director
