Juvenilia - European Network of Young Opera Friends

Bergamo is ready for another Juvenilia weekend! 🇮🇹

After the success of last year’s Bergamo event, we would like to invite you to participate in Festival Donizetti 🎶 right in the birthplace of one of Italy’s greatest opera composers! Join us for a weekend celebrating his extraordinary legacy, exploring the city that shaped his life and music.

Saturday, 28 November @ Teatro Donizetti
🎭 Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali

Sunday, 29 November @ Teatro Donizetti
☕ morning: The Donizetti Brunch
🌅 afternoon: L’esule di Roma

Bel canto lovers, don’t miss the opportunity to hear two of Donizetti’s rarely performed operas! 🎶

📌Register by 7 August, 18:00 through the link in bio

Torino is calling for another Juvenilia adventure! 🇮🇹

Two years after our last visit to Torino, we would like to invite you for a Verismo weekend at Teatro Regio. We hope that by the end of the event you’ll agree that Ruggero Leoncavallo and Pietro Mascagni deserve a place alongside Puccini, rather than in his shadow 🎻

🎨Friday, 13 November @ Teatro Regio
Leoncavallo: La bohème

🎭Saturday, 14 November @ Teatro Regio
Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci

🌸Sunday, 15 November @ Teatro Regio
Mascagni: Iris

Don’t miss your chance to sip a Bicerin in the birthplace of vermouth! 🍫

📌Register by 2 August, 18:00 through the link in bio

(c) Teatro Regio di Torino

📯We are delighted to announce the new Juvenilia Board for 2026–2028 📯

United by a shared passion for opera and a commitment to our community, the new Board is looking forward to creating inspiring events, bringing your opera enthusiasts together, and continuing to strengthen our network ✨

Tim Pionteck | President
Olga Tochilkina .eugenia.leigh | Vice President
Alessio Moretti Alessio Moretti | Treasurer
Blanca Vázquez BLANCA VÁZQUEZ | Communications Officer
Igor Getman Igor Getman | Communications Officer
Yee Kwan Law Yee Kwan | Communications Officer
Claire Cardinaletti Claire Cardinaletti | Event Coordinator
Alexander Hesse | Event Coordinator
Quentin Delorme | Event Coordinator
Giulio Pasqualetti | Event Coordinator

♥️ A heartfelt thank you to the 2024–2026 Juvenilia Board for their dedication, hard work, and commitment over the past two years. Your efforts have helped strengthen our community and laid the foundation for everything that is to come.

Greetings from Dresden! ☀️

Juvenilians came together to experience a rare opera by Amalie von Sachsen, La fedeltà alla prova Dresdner Musikfestspiele , as well as Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, a symphony concert by the Staatskapelle Dresden Dresden, and Nino Rota’s Il cappello di paglia di Firenze.

Highlights included a guided tour through the city centre by a true local .aphrodite.walter , endless coffee and cake at the Coselpalais behind the Frauenkirche Dresden, and an acting improv class 👒

The Semperoper truly mesmerized us—we can’t wait to return! ✨

🇨🇭Throwback to the Zurich Youth Summit

What an incredible weekend in Zurich! Europe’s young opera friends came together with local cultural communities from klubZ Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich , the Kunstfreunde Zürich , the Friends of Opernhaus Zürich , and the Friends of Ballet Zurich. 🎶

From Kent Nagano’s inspiring opening at the Tonhalle and exclusive backstage insights at the Opera House—including an apéro with Opera Director Matthias Schulz—to fascinating guided tours at the Kunsthaus Zürich and moving performances of Arabella and Clara, the programme offered unique perspectives on Zurich’s cultural life. 🖼️🥂

Special thanks to Corinne from the Zurich Opera House for championing this initiative, and to everyone who joined us—we are already looking forward to the next one! 🙏

pictures: (c) Gina Held & Juvenilia

🇨🇿 Young opera friend from Vienna, Berlin and Munich met at the to enjoy Smetana’s last opera Čertova stěna & Dvořák‘s Jakobín on the Pentecost weekend. We‘re grateful that artistic director Jiří Heřman warmly welcomed our group backstage and explained his staging concept to us. Dramaturge Patricie Částková gave us detailed introductions for these rare Czech operas, thank you! ☀️
During the sunny weekend we also visited the cosy house of famous composer Leoš Janáček. We saw the original grand piano on which he imitated the clucking of his chickens - which made their way into his opera The Cunning Little Vixen 🦊

We look forward to return this November for the , a heartfelt thank you to the NdB for making this possible ❤️

We are delighted to welcome Europe‘s young opera friends to our next event in Czechia this November: the Janáček Festival in Brno! 🇨🇿
This year marks the 10th edition of the festival celebrating the music and legacy of Leoš Janáček:

🕊️ Friday, November 6, 19:00: Symphonic Concert: Janáček, Dvořák and Bruckner

💍 Saturday, November 7, 17:00: Jenůfa by Janáček

🔮 Sunday, November 8, 19:00: Věc Makropulos (The Makropulos Affair) by Janáček

📍 National Theatre Brno

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic and is a bustling city full of historic charm and thriving nightlife. Don’t miss this chance to visit Brno for the first time with Juvenilia! 🍻🪩

📌Register until June 14, 23:59 through the link in bio

Juvenilia in Napoli (3/3) 🍋

On Sunday we made ourselves cosy in the boxes of experiencing Mozart‘s Haffner symphony and Mahler‘s 4th. The lyrical elegance of .monzo was a true highlight ✨

After-Hours in true Neapolitan style at the pizzeria across the street 🍕 we knew the place must be good once we casually met there - we had to capture this moment for the records 📸

A presto, Napoli ❤️

Juvenilia in Napoli (2/3) 💚🤍❤️

This event had it all: guided tours through the historical center, churches, and the mesmerizing Teatro San Carlo. Saturday evening we‘ve witnessed a stunning Lucia di Lammermoor on the very stage where it premiered in 1835. Donizettis masterpiece was excellently interpreted by maestro .conductor , reaching olympic vocal levels as Lucia and .olivieri.baritono portrayed a powerful Enrico. Definitely an evening to remember ❤️‍🔥

🌋How could you organize an event in Naples without visiting Pompeii?

We visited the Roman city that was buried under volcanic ash over 2,000 years ago. Two local guides led us through the extensive site, showing us the latest excavations, explaining the building’s former function, and letting us admire the beauty of the ruins. A truly unforgettable trip! ☀️