Guatemalan opera singer Maria Jose highlights the importance of talent, business skills and institutional support at Karachi’s World Culture Festival, while Kashan wins the Orbit Dance Battle.
Webdesk- Amina houth
Guatemalan opera singer Maria Jose has encouraged aspiring musicians to develop their artistic skills while understanding the business side of the creative industry during a workshop at the World Culture Festival in Karachi.
Speaking at a session titled ‘Building Cultural Ecosystems’ on Sunday evening, Jose shared her journey into opera and discussed the challenges of establishing performing arts institutions in Guatemala.
She explained that opera had a limited presence in Central America, with Guatemala establishing its opera scene in 1998. Although the country had a symphonic orchestra, it did not have an opera company.
Jose said she initially started her career as a pop singer before a teacher introduced her to Italian opera and encouraged her to explore the genre. She eventually developed a passion for opera.
She also discussed how she and her husband, who is a tenor, contributed to building opera institutions in Guatemala despite limited infrastructure and professional opportunities.
Advising young musicians, Jose emphasised the importance of remaining prepared for opportunities, continuously improving their skills and understanding the business aspects of the arts.
She noted that artists seeking sponsorship must be able to explain what sponsors would receive in return for their investment, highlighting the importance of combining artistic talent with business knowledge.
Earlier, the day began with the Orbit Dance Battle, hosted by Norwegian artist Navid Rezvani, which attracted a large audience of young people.
Following an intense competition that began the previous day, Kashan was declared the winner.
The winning dancer was also scheduled to perform at a dance concert in Auditorium 1 of the Arts Council of Pakistan alongside international performers Legiteam Obstruxion from France, Nattaya Chula from Thailand, Navid Rezvani and Catherine Michelet from Norway, and folk dancers representing the Philippines.
