CASE STUDY

Òpera Oberta and research and education networksbring opera to students across the world

High capacity networks work together to broadcast performancesto universities around the globe

Allowing students interested in the arts to experience culturalperformances is central to sharing knowledge and helping them learn.However the scale and size of many productions, such as operas, meanthat they cannot be staged locally due to a lack of resources and budget.

To bridge this gap and help make opera better known to students allaround the world, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona has created theÒpera Oberta programme. This produces and broadcasts high qualityoperatic performances to students in over 40 universities around theworld. Since its foundation in 2001, Òpera Oberta has grown rapidly, andnow has an average of 1,300 students from universities in Europe andLatin America watching every broadcast. Each performance is supportedby a full package of learning materials, including a lecture before eachopera outlining the plot and background, images and archiveddocumentation. Students receive course credits for their virtualattendance, with every performance streamed simultaneously to allparticipating institutions.

As the operas are recorded using the most advanced broadcast videoand sound technologies, sharing the files requires reliable, high capacity,cost-effective network links. Consequently Òpera Oberta relies on thespeed and power of research and education networks, which deliver theguaranteed performance to ensure that every student receives a highquality experience.

The number of universities involved and their locations across the globemake simultaneous transmission a technical challenge. This is solvedthrough a collaboration between a growing number of National Researchand Education Networks (NRENs) and their international counterparts.

Broadcast files are first sent using multicast IP from the Liceu to theCatalan Research and Education Network, managed by CSUC, whichis connected to the Spanish RedIRIS network. The high speed pan-European GÉANT network then transmits the performances across thecontinent to NRENs in individual countries, such as GRNET in Greece,and, worldwide through its global links to networks in other regions.For example, in Latin America the RedCLARA network then distributesthe broadcast to the NRENs of Columbia (RENATA), Mexico (CUDI) andEcuador (CEDIA). The NRENs then transmit the opera to individualuniversities in each country. The advanced multicast IP technologyused makes it possible to send the same stream simultaneously toall participating institutions, wherever they are located, reducingcomplexity and minimising delays.

connect • communicate • collaborate

The ChallengeTo introduce students to opera by combining world classperformances with the latest broadcasting technologies.

The SolutionPerformances are broadcast simultaneously using multicasttechnology across national and international research andeducation networks, such as GÉANT and RedIRIS, providinga compelling experience for students around the world.

Key BenefitsWherever they are students can learn about and experiencethe beauty of opera through high quality broadcasts, thanksto the collaboration between Òpera Oberta and researchand education networks.

L’incoronazione di Poppea, © Rubén Ferrer Cherta

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At the Liceu Theatre every opera is recorded and then encoded andcompressed using advanced techniques that make it possible to create asingle file containing video, audio and subtitles in three languages(English, Spanish and Catalan).

Despite the great distances and large file sizes of the broadcast, studentsall receive the chance to watch and listen to the same, high qualityperformance. The aim is to provide an experience similar to actuallybeing seated in the theatre, with all the technical complexity handled bythe collaboration between participating institutions, supported byresearch and education networks.

Over the last 12 years, operas from composers as varied as Britten,Mozart and Donizetti have been shared globally through ÒperaOberta’s broadcasts. By merging art, academia and technologythousands of students across the world have been introduced toopera, providing a rich cultural and learning experience thanks tothe combination of Òpera Oberta and the power and reach ofresearch and education networks.

This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are thesole responsibility of DANTE and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

For more information:Òpera Oberta: www.operaoberta.orgCSUC: www.csuc.catRedIRIS: www.rediris.es

GRNET: www.grnet.grGÉANT: www.geant.netRedCLARA: www.redclara.net

When the Òpera Oberta programme set itself theunprecedented technological challenge of offering liveopera broadcasts to the academic community, researchand education networks as well as the availability ofsuitable communications technologies became anessential player, without which the project would nothave been possible. Flexibility, service adaptation andcommunity are the contributions which GÉANT hasprovided to the Foundation of the Gran Teatre delLiceu, making possible its objective to carry outinnovative initiatives for the cultural and artisticempowerment of society.

Xavier Carreras Diaz, Technical Coordinator, Òpera Oberta,2009-2014

“

For Cauca University it is a privilege to have access tothe Òpera Oberta course and be able to make itavailable to our whole academic community. We seethis initiative as the most important experience in theworld in relation to cultural and pedagogicalproduction using advanced research and educationnetworks, which are essential in making it possible.Over the past three years our students have had theunique chance to learn about opera of the highestquality.

Jaime Leonardo Martínez, IT Director and Òpera ObertaCoordinator at the University of Cauca, Colombia

“

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki has integratedthe Òpera Oberta project into a horizontal academicprogramme. Students enrolled in that course attendscheduled opera broadcasts and common academiclectures, earning academic credits. The program alsoinvolves the participation of students in the technicalproduction of the opera broadcasts and the realizationand sharing of educational content in both Greek andEnglish.

Dimitros A. Adamos, Òpera Oberta Coordinator, AristotleUniversity, Thessaloniki, Greece.

“

connect • communicate • collaborate

The world is criss-crossed with high-capacity data communicationsnetworks, connecting and serving research and academicinstitutions across the globe. The most advanced of these is GÉANT,serving Europe. GÉANT interconnects with counterparts across theworld, such as RedCLARA in Latin America.

Separate from the public Internet for reasons of security andperformance, many of these networks are designed, deployed andrun by the networking organisation DANTE and make an enormouspractical contribution to research in a wide variety of areas –saving lives, building knowledge, and sharing cultural andeducational resources all over the world.

GÉANT and its regional and national research and educationnetwork partners provide Òpera Oberta with the high speed, highcapacity connections needed to broadcast high qualityperformances around the globe. This provides a seamlessexperience to students, whatever country they are in and enablesthem to focus on increasing their learning and understanding ofopera. Without access to research and education networks to linkuniversities together and transmit large audio-visual files fewerstudents would benefit from in-depth learning within their courses.

La fille du regiment, © David Cabrera

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