Q & A: Soula Parassidis on Living Opera & NFT Opera Funding

Ever since NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) had been first launched to the world in 2014—due to artist Kevin McCoy using a digitized, hard-to-trace, and decentralized type of monetary transactions often called the blockchain—what it means to fundraise has by no means been the identical. Whereas some see NFTs as a waste of time, others have capitalized on its ostensible makes use of. Many artists argue NFTs are a ‘rip off,’ however others see it as the beginning of a more just marketplace; one which prioritizes direct communication between the artist and the patron.

Questions equivalent to “How is money being used?” and “Who actually benefits?” have lengthy been requested within the opera trade. At the moment, grant packages and philanthropic tasks appear to think about the artist final, and donors are sometimes clueless as to how their cash is definitely being utilized. However one lady and her crew are on a mission to alter operatic tradition and the trade from the very inside, one NFT at a time.

Dramatic soprano Soula Parassidis, a spunky, hard-working, and tenacious operatic chief, created her firm Living Opera to revitalize the operatic area and replace its funding strategies for up-and-coming singers. Parassidis had been dissatisfied with the choices and lack of assist most younger singers confronted, and sought to alter issues.

Championing extra transparency and neighborhood, I sat down with Parassidis to speak NFTs, funding, and Mozart.

OperaWire: You’ve had fairly a life to date. Your most cancers prognosis at 23 appeared to alter your life in a single day. Are you able to speak about how this impacted your imaginative and prescient on your profession?

Soula Parassidis: You don’t have time to assume. We don’t anticipate the drama of life. I wasn’t ready for the psychological ramifications of getting my physique fail me. I recovered bodily moderately shortly, however I felt damaged. I didn’t really feel assured anymore. Afterwards, I felt the fragility of life. I additionally felt this drive to not let that beat me. From my most cancers prognosis, via ending faculty, to now: all of it made for fairly the journey. I didn’t notice on the time that every one my experiences would kind the content material of Living Opera, the place we assist different folks with their story of opera. My story is only one of many: I get tales on a regular basis from college students and rising singers speaking about their challenges and battles.

OW: What was your journey in direction of philanthropy?

SP: An area philanthropist in Vancouver, the place I grew up, approached me and provided me funding if I might give you a brand new marketing strategy. I got here up with it and acquired the funding. This was the seed that allowed me to go to Europe and construct up among the expertise that I wanted. I noticed as I constructed this venture that I used to be just about replicating the identical act of kindness that had launched my profession. One of many strengths of Living Opera typically is that Norman and I are nonetheless energetic within the enterprise, so our info is actual time info: little suggestions that may assist the artists have success, and it’s immensely satisfying. What if we created a tradition of that?

From the look of our on-line content material, it looks as if the whole lot is kind of deliberate and measured. It’s truly moderately completely different. We knew we wished to do one thing with blockchain and NFTs. I notice a lot of my work to assist others has an origin in my previous and my experiences. The philanthropy facet has many arms. On one facet we assist artists. However we additionally give donors a snapshot into what they’re truly funding. All people is working collectively. It’s a approach to deliver an attractive new layer to philanthropy.

OW: The place did the thought for Living Opera come from?

SP: It wasn’t my thought. This got here from Norman, and the truth that I used to be answering direct messages on a regular basis. He advised capitalizing on it, and created a curriculum primarily based on the questions I’d been receiving. In some way it was good timing, as we had this dialog on the finish of 2019. We received a correct net developer and launched it as a correct enterprise in 2020. I need artists to have a leg to face on. If I may also help them by instance, then I’m doing my job. Most artists don’t sing full time, they should complement their earnings. Even with a full calendar, you will have time to do different issues. That’s a part of the damaging messaging, “You’re not a serious artists if you’re doing something else.” Instrumentalists have legs to face on however singers must twiddle our thumbs in between auditions? No manner!

OW: How do NFTs issue into Living Opera’s relationship with donors?

SP: Since Magic Mozart, most people who stand to achieve from our neighborhood are the artists themselves. Our present mannequin is to donate the tokens to artists who’re prepared to be part of our energetic neighborhood, and to draw excessive degree donors to sponsor these tokens. It reduces the stress of discovering the right donor and opens the ground to those that simply need to give a charitable donation. While you’re coping with someone and promoting an thought, what are their priorities? What do legacy donors hope to realize? Typically, while you hit on the factor that has potential, change gears! Whether or not it’s an aria or a loopy token construction, discover the factor that works. You’ll save extra time by being versatile. You possibly can really feel it gel, too. On our earlier web site, we had one thing referred to as the ‘Featured Community’ web page. I felt that our neighborhood members wanted to be featured. We wanted a greater technique, nevertheless, as I used to be receiving photographs from singers from around the globe who had been assembly due to Living Opera. My hope is that when this venture is realized, we’ll have way more world connectivity.

OW: Living Opera works with universities and faculties. The place did this choice come from?

SP: I like youngsters! Extra critically, talking at universities is a standard a part of the skilled singing profession. Typically universities may have you come and do a Q&A with their college students. It tends to be the identical on a regular basis, nevertheless. I like the creativity of youthful youngsters, and that they cowl their ears once they sing. However I like one other aspect. The explanation I received into opera was as a result of I listened to a free live performance at my faculty after I was seven. I knew I wished Living Opera to be that sort of affect. You possibly can see them being captivated by one thing that may do good issues for them of their lives. They’re like sponges, and also you’re giving them edifying info. When you get the possibility, you need to do it. It’s a fantastic approach to deliver hope to the life of a kid, and course as properly.

OW: Living Opera is blazing a brand new path for grant packages. Why is that?

SP: Through the pandemic, I used to be in search of an answer to the difficult state of grant tradition. There wasn’t a complete lot of choices. There was a necessity for a program to fund particular person artists. I perceive why grants program are so advanced and long-winded. Donors really feel extra belief in a big establishment, however that is one thing we are attempting to alter. I need to change the extent of belief between philanthropists and particular person artists. Our strategy is thru the utilization of digital credentials. This solely works if the philanthropists assume Living Opera is price one thing. There’s a want for artists to point out that we’re severe; how the enterprise world works; that we’re dedicated to enjoying the sport. $5,000 within the palms of an rising singer goes to go a lot farther than if it’s given to an opera home which then distributes funds to singers. We are attempting to draw donors by displaying them how far their cash can go.

OW: What’s subsequent for Living Opera?

SP: An app is in growth as we converse! The thought with it’s to concentrate on opera singers and assist them with understanding their fach. You sing into the telephone and get a prediction of your sub-voice kind. It may well level you in the suitable course and provide you with repertoire suggestions. The opposite perform, which I’m most enthusiastic about, permits a consumer to transform their sound into sellable digital artwork in a worldwide market which can be utilized to fund particular person artists. We’re tremendous excited to see the place this goes!

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