Gala Opening of the T&T Opera Festival 2017

Opening Remarks Address

Presented by: Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly,

Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts

Thank you for this special honour to address you at this the 3rd Annual Trinidad and Tobago Opera Festival.

According to Plato, Music goes hand in hand in molding our culture as it expresses both the richness of our traditions and creative essence. It occupies a special position in our cultural history because, very early on, it was a means of artistic expression which reached every corner of our twin island. Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and charm and gaiety to life and to everything Above all musical genres, opera brings true depth with its unique range of vocal chords, the stories which are told, and the embodiment of artistry as its best.

As we formally open the Trinidad and Tobago Opera Festival 2017, we look forward to the alluring performances which will follow. The festival encompasses performances of Mozart’s most popular opera “The Magic Flute” and the Fifth Annual Music Competition, piano and vocal masterclasses.

To the Picoplat Music Development Foundation, I say thank you and congratulations. Your role in the evolution of the role that classical music Page 4 of 4 play in our cultural development is phenomenal. You continue to present these opportunities for us, opportunities that allow us to be exposed to the extraordinary talent of these gifted young people. Music, regardless of genre is the only universal language, transcending ideologies, differences of all kinds, and all that still divides us.

It is my honour to invite you all to lose yourselves in the music, the tale, the complexities, the talents, and the voices.

I would like to declare the T&T Opera Festival 2017 formally open.