Opera on Tap has announced the return of their Munich chapter, marking an important milestone in their mission to present opera in social venues such as cafés, restaurants, and more.
To celebrate this occasion, OOT will present a concert at Schwan Locke of operatic arias, art songs, and more. The roster will include baritone Stepan Karelin, soprano Anna Galushenko, pianist Anna Heller, guest mezzo-soprano Nina Viktoria Yakob, and tenor Demetrios Jussi Tsinopoulos, who has been named the Munich chapter president.
StageFiend reached out to to Tsinopoulos, who shared some of his perspective on this milestone:
“Relaunching Opera on Tap in Munich feels especially meaningful. Munich is one of the great international centres for opera and classical music, a city with an extraordinary cultural tradition and a deeply knowledgeable audience. At the same time, even in a city with such a rich musical life, there is always a need for formats that reach beyond the traditional concert hall or opera house. A worldwide recognized platform like Opera on Tap can create a bridge: between experienced opera lovers and curious newcomers, between formal performance and social encounter, between the great tradition of the art form and the immediacy of live music in a more intimate setting.
For many people, an evening like this may be their first true contact with opera. That matters. A first experience can shape whether someone feels invited into the art form or excluded from it. By presenting opera, operetta, art song, and more in a comfortable and welcoming venue, we can remove some of the barriers that sometimes surround classical music, while still keeping the performance at a high artistic level. The goal is not to simplify opera, but to bring it closer: closer to the audience, closer to conversation, closer to the life of the city.
The venue is also a very important part of this relaunch. Schwan Locke is not just a beautiful and welcoming location for this kind of event; it is also a place with which I have a personal connection. I have worked there and have also performed there in previous years, so I know first-hand how special the atmosphere can be. Anyone who has tried to organize live classical music outside of traditional venues knows how difficult it can be to find a place willing to support and host this kind of initiative. After the success of the concerts we have held there in the past, I was extremely happy and grateful that Schwan Locke, and specifically General Manager Luka Schnee, offered us the opportunity to begin this new Opera on Tap Munich concert series there.
This first relaunch concert is also very personal for me artistically. The singers involved are not only excellent artists, but wonderful colleagues with whom I have shared a long performance history. We have sung together in well over a hundred concerts over the years, and we had often spoken about how valuable a format like this could be in Munich. Our pianist is equally special to me: she was the first pianist I met after moving to Munich, and I feel extremely fortunate that I found such an outstanding collaborator so early on. We have worked together many times since, and I am genuinely happy to be performing with all of them again for this relaunch.
Looking ahead, I hope Opera on Tap Munich becomes more than a concert series. I hope it becomes a living space for opera in the city: a place where audiences can discover the art form in a new way, where professional singers can remain artistically active and connected with listeners, and where younger singers in the region can gain opportunities to perform, grow, and be heard. Munich has the tradition, the talent, and the audience for something like this. Now we want to add a fresh, open, and welcoming chapter to that musical landscape.”
Tickets and further details can be found on Opera on Tap’s website.