OPERA AND OUTREACH
MUSIC IS TOUCHING THE LIVES OF THE LESS FORTUNATE THANKS TO OPERAFFINITY AND ITS FOUNDER BREANNA STILLMAN by Federica Mancusi | Images provided by Breana Stillman
Musician Breana Stillman credits the Italian community in Victoria for inspiring her love of opera. Breana talks to Segmento about a music festival in her adopted town of Todi in Umbria and OperAffinity’s commitment to bridging cultural gaps. New York, and Italy before taking a contract at the state opera house in Kassel, Germany. When I first moved to London, I also took a job in private equity that I continued throughout my studies and in between singing contracts. I worked for a firm that supported my operatic career and provided me with a wonderful experience in fundraising and business that has come in handy in my work with OperAffinity. How did OperAffinity come about, and what is its main mission?
Breana Stillman bringing opera to children in Kenya
T
ell us about your background in music and management that led to the founding of OperAffinity.
Todi Piazza
18 ART & CULTURE
My love for music surprised my family. They were not musical. I started playing the piano at the age of 6 and then took up the flute and saxophone, but singing filled my heart with joy. I was extremely fortunate with all my music teachers, who played a big part in my wanting to inspire younger generations and pass on the wonderful experience that music gave me at a young age. After completing my education in Australia and the UK, I participated in opera studios and performed in Germany,
Music had such a powerful impact on my life when I was younger, and I knew how important music is for African culture, so I thought I would bring a group of musicians that I had worked with in Europe to the poorer areas of Kenya and try and make a difference through music. The workshops were so successful that we worked with 6,000 children on our first visit. I felt I had found my calling. I was so lucky to be given the gift of learning music when I was a young child, and I wanted to pass on this gift to younger generations, no matter their background. In 2019, I founded the association OperAffinity, and since then we have set up workshops in Kenya, the UK, Germany, and Italy for the benefit of all children. This includes working with children with disabilities and those from refugee communities, giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to learn music and even perform internationally. Our mission is to bring opera and classical music to a wider
Segmento Issue XXXII • Sep - Nov 2023