The International Opera Awards have just been presented at the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw. De Munt was nominated in the categories Sustainability and Equal Opportunities & Impact.
De Munt's social programme A Bridge Between Two Worlds often flies under the radar because they do not wish to disturb the fragility of the target groups with whom De Munt has been working for several decades now. But now De Munt is pleased to proudly announce that we have won the award for Equal Opportunities & Impact. It was Mirjam Zomersztajn, the beating heart of our social work for fourteen years, who accepted the prize and in her speech honoured both General and Artistic Director Peter de Caluwe and the many colleagues involved. "I consider myself fortunate to have so much goodwill and helping hands around me. Every day I see how access to music, singing and opera has a positive impact on the lives of people in vulnerable situations. Thanks to the choir singing workshops, they can not only forget their worries for a moment and delight in the beauty of music, it also sets some of them back on the right track. I will never forget how a prisoner answered a compliment from one of our choir singing instructors with 'I may be locked up, but you taught me that my voice is still free'."
This recognition is naturally gratifying for the teams who continue to work with renewed energy for those who otherwise have little opportunity to participate in culture.
De Munt's team is of course also delighted that the continuous commitment to sustainability - and this is not the first time - was noticed by the IOA jury members. They would like to heartily congratulate their colleagues at the National Opera & Ballet on the award. Furthermore, they would like to mention that Collectif 17h25, founded by De Munt, was also nominated in the same category.
More information about De Munt's Green Opera approach can be found here.
For those who wish to consult the timeline of their sustainable approach, this is the place.