Joshua Sofaer’s Opera Helps, the project harnessing the power of opera to help participants view their troubles in a new light, has been selected to feature in the Horizon Showcase in its pilot year. Opera Helps is produced by Wunderbar.

The Horizon Showcase 21 is designed to celebrate vibrant, visionary artists and cultural leaders, currently making work in England. Born out of a new approach to build deep and sustainable collaborations, this pilot year delivers an exploratory programme of presentations and residencies that connects new work and ideas with international partners during the Edinburgh festivals in August 2021.

It runs from 16 August, with the programme for delegates happening during the week of 23 August.

Opera Helps first took place in Stockholm in 2012, then toured the UK in 2016 and rose again as an online offer in 2020 during the Covid-19 crisis. The Horizon Showcase sessions will continue to be offered through the Google Duo platform.

Incredibly cathartic, uplifting…unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life before.

People apply to us with a problem and a professional opera singer meets them and listens to the problem.

Then the singer selects the aria relating to their troubles. The aria is sung to the participant as they relax in their preferred room.

Booking for Opera Helps sessions will open to delegates very soon but in the meantime, you can find out more about the project on the dedicated Opera Helps website.