On October 14th, 2011, the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) opened its doors for its inaugural season with a production of Puccini’s “Turandot,” with the aim of establishing itself as a “centre of excellence in global cultural engagement.” It is a noble and ambitious aim, for sure, but for a country without a tradition of opera, it is certainly not going to be an easy task. How, for example, will it be able to educate the population about the operatic canon, its performance codes and traditions, and the art of opera singing by serving up only the popular operas such as “Carmen,” “La Traviata” and “Le Nozze di Figaro” while at the same time being seen as a leading cultural establishment? Move too far away from such titles, and the risk is that the local population will become alienated, leaving the opera house as a centre for tourists and expats from Europe and America.
The Director General and Artistic Director of ROHM, Umberto Fanni , however, is clearly aware of such possibilities and possesses a clear vision on how to fashion a way forward. Each season, he introduces one or two carefully chosen lesser-known works, such as Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Rossini’s “La Scala di Seta” and Borodin’s “Prince Igor,” in order to broaden the audience’s experience and create a more balanced and interesting program. It is, nevertheless, the usual favorites that form the company’s mainstay, and he is keen to bring in the best direct.