Opéra Junior Opera opens its doors to young people

A pioneering initiative

Since its creation in Montpellier in 1990 by Vladimir Kojoukharov, Opéra Junior has offered an original approach to artistic training: introducing young people to singing, dancing and acting by involving them in real stage productions. The aim is to inspire them to sing and perform on stage by immersing them in the world of opera.

A structure integrated into the Montpellier Occitanie National Opera Orchestra

Since 2009, Jérôme Pillement has been the artistic director of Opéra Junior, which became part of the Montpellier Occitanie National Opera Orchestra in 2015 under the general direction of Valérie Chevalier. Today, each season, nearly 200 young people aged 4 to 29 take part in this artistic adventure, with no competition or selection process, except for an audition starting in middle school.

A comprehensive artistic training program immersed in the world of opera

The young people are divided into five classes according to their age and receive professional coaching from choir director Albert Alcaraz and his team. They take classes in choral singing, theater, and dance, and regularly meet with composers, conductors, musicians, and directors.

From the early years of their training, the children take part in concerts and performances by the Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie (such as Carmen and La Bohème), as well as dedicated opera productions. An opera featuring all the participants is staged every year.

A unique human experience

Beyond training in choral singing and opera, Opéra Junior offers young people the feeling of forming a close-knit group bound together by this unique adventure. They develop qualities such as listening, respect, sharing, self-confidence and team spirit. Artistic training thus becomes a driver of personal fulfillment.

This approach was recognized in 2025 with the Prix Liliane Bettencourt pour le chant choral, awarded by the Fondation Bettencourt Schueller in partnership with the Académie des beaux-arts. This year, the jury was chaired by Débora Waldman.