Mission Statement
At the heart of the IOT mission is facilitation of self discovery and nonverbal intercultural communication, provoking the training of a new generation of operatic artist through imagination driven productions, as well as master classes, interactive auditions and international competitions which bring artists from throughout the world to Italy and from Italy and beyond to Philadelphia.
IOT cultural education excites children through an innovative and empowering symbiotic paradigm. Presently IOT and International House Philadelphia are in preparation for a global peace project, a 5 language production that was developed in Philadelphia in 2003 and subsequently presented there for 7 years. This project enlivens ages 6-18 through the recreation of the last performance of an opera given 55 performances by youth in a concentration camp- a camp that held 15,000 children, of which only 150 were able to return home. Honoring youth in all cultures who were never able to return home, the project is envisioned to be presented simultaneously on all continents beginning in The Middle East where Arabic and Jewish children will gather in Nazareth and Bethlehem to share music in 5 languages: French, German, Italian, English and Czech, as well as Arabic and Hebrew in this historically researched experience which addresses the precept of children as innocent victims of war, unable to return home. Project is planned for UN International Day of Peace, September 21, 2014.
In addition to the 8th production of the Holocaust opera mentioned above, upcoming in March is the 9th production dedicated to life and works of Maurice Sendak at Rosenbach Museum, Philadelphia, master classes in Italy and in May 2013, American premiere of JAGO, sequel to Verdi’s Otello, in celebration of 200th anniversary of Verdi’s birth, with winner of International Opera Competition in Citta’ di Saluzzzo, dedicated to Magda Olivero, coming to Media Theatre near Philadelphia for American premiere and returning to Vercelli and Citta’ di Saluzzo to complete the performance circle.
At end of July 2013, IOT will present the world premiere of their 10th Italian opera: premiere Camille Claudel in Citta’ della Pieve followed by tour to Teatro Valle, oldest theater in Rome, Pavia and other Italian cities. IOT is poised, in collaboration with The Alliance Francaise and The Italian Consul in Philadelphia, to bring the story of this brilliant French sculptor, inspiration for and lover of Rodin, yet completely unrecognized in her own lifetime, presented in the Italian language and written by the young Italian composer, Gianmaria Griglio, to Philadelphia. 2013 marks one hundred years since Claudel was interred in a mental institution where she spent the last 30 years of her life.
Karen Saillant, Founder and Artistic Director