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Cascais Ópera is now a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC)

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We are proud to announce that Cascais Ópera – International Vocal Competition has been officially accepted as a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), the most prestigious international network of music competitions.

Founded in 1957 in Geneva, WFIMC currently brings together over 120 competitions worldwide, all recognized for their high artistic standards, integrity, and commitment to supporting the next generation of classical musicians. The federation is a member of the International Music Council of UNESCO and plays a vital role in enhancing the global visibility and value of competitions that promote the most promising classical music talents.

Cascais Ópera’s admission into this international network was announced during the 69th WFIMC General Assembly, held from June 25 to 29 in Harbin, China — the first Chinese city to host this gathering since the federation’s founding. The event brings together representatives from the world’s most influential competitions to foster artistic exchange, dialogue on contemporary practices, and global cultural cooperation.

Cascais Ópera was represented by its executive production team, reinforcing the project’s positioning within the international circuit and highlighting its mission to support emerging opera singers by promoting excellence, innovation, and democratic access to the art form. By becoming a member of WFIMC, Cascais Ópera strengthens its commitment to the highest artistic and educational standards, opening new opportunities for visibility, collaboration, and mobility — both for its candidates and for the continued development of opera in Portugal.

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Over the past three decades, primarily in London, Portugal and Amsterdam, Dr Jorge Balça
has developed a strong portfolio of work and a unique combination of skillsets – as a stage
director (of theatre, opera, and hybrid forms), a teacher and workshop leader, a presentation
skills, acting and creativity coach, and practice-based researcher. His work in all these
domains is distinguished by his commitment to and skill in making fantasy and invention
emerge from precise knowledge and training – and by his ability to inspire a similar alchemy
in his collaborators.

Classically trained as an actor and countertenor, he studied theatre directing in London and
Moscow, specialising in Shakespeare, techniques of adaptation, Meyerhold and commedia
dell’arte. Jorge also holds a PhD exploring the dramatic training of opera performers.
With a love for site-specific projects and collaborative forms, and an equal flair for comedy
and drama, his work is dramaturgically inventive, visually striking, and physically engaged.
He was the artistic director of Bloomsbury Opera and associate director of The Opera
Makers, both in London. In Portugal, he has recently directed L’Heure Espagnole and The
Turn of the Screw at Centro Cultural de Belém, and Don Giovanni and La Voix Humaine at
Festival de Ópera de Óbidos.

Jorge is committed to his work as a teacher, having taught at the Dutch National Opera
Academy, Morley College London, Universidade de Évora and other institutions. He
maintains an international coaching private practice and is the acting coach at the Neil
Semer Vocal Institute in Italy.

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Over the past three decades, primarily in London, Portugal and Amsterdam, Dr Jorge Balça
has developed a strong portfolio of work and a unique combination of skillsets – as a stage
director (of theatre, opera, and hybrid forms), a teacher and workshop leader, a presentation
skills, acting and creativity coach, and practice-based researcher. His work in all these
domains is distinguished by his commitment to and skill in making fantasy and invention
emerge from precise knowledge and training – and by his ability to inspire a similar alchemy
in his collaborators.

Classically trained as an actor and countertenor, he studied theatre directing in London and
Moscow, specialising in Shakespeare, techniques of adaptation, Meyerhold and commedia
dell’arte. Jorge also holds a PhD exploring the dramatic training of opera performers.
With a love for site-specific projects and collaborative forms, and an equal flair for comedy
and drama, his work is dramaturgically inventive, visually striking, and physically engaged.
He was the artistic director of Bloomsbury Opera and associate director of The Opera
Makers, both in London. In Portugal, he has recently directed L’Heure Espagnole and The
Turn of the Screw at Centro Cultural de Belém, and Don Giovanni and La Voix Humaine at
Festival de Ópera de Óbidos.

Jorge is committed to his work as a teacher, having taught at the Dutch National Opera
Academy, Morley College London, Universidade de Évora and other institutions. He
maintains an international coaching private practice and is the acting coach at the Neil
Semer Vocal Institute in Italy.

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