OperaTools was created to respond to a very concrete gap in the Portuguese cultural landscape: the absence of structures that support young singers in the transition between aca...
OperaTools was created to respond to a very concrete gap in the Portuguese cultural landscape: the absence of structures that support young singers in the transition between academic training and the real professional market. Between study and career there is a void marked by few opportunities, few stages, and little artistic continuity. OperaTools exists to fill that space.
We are an association dedicated to the creation of opera productions and concerts with high artistic standards, offering real professional experiences to young singers, always with musical rigor, close artistic guidance, and a strong human and educational dimension.
The year 2026 will be a decisive milestone for this project. On November 21, 2026, in Cascais, OperaTools will present a major concert featuring Sumi Jo and Plácido Domingo, two of the most emblematic names in the history of opera. In this concert, I will have the honor of singing with both as a Special Guest Star, while also welcoming young OperaTools singers on stage, notably through the project’s choir.
This concert perfectly embodies the mission of OperaTools: to build bridges between generations, to place young artists side by side with absolute references of world opera, and to offer them a transformative experience—one that would be impossible without strong support structures.
Supporting this project means:
• enabling young singers to work under dignified professional conditions
• making possible a concert of high artistic and international level
• investing in the sustainability of OperaTools as a cultural association
• actively contributing to the future of opera in Portugal
Every contribution is a concrete act of cultural patronage. Every gesture of support helps open doors, raise the curtain, and ensure that talent finds a stage.
Thank you for believing in culture, in artists, and in the future.
Rafaela Albuquerque
Founder and Artistic Director of OperaTools
About the author
Rafaela Albuquerque is a Portuguese opera singer with an international career and founder and artistic director of the OperaTools association, a project dedicated to creating professional opportunities for young singers and the sustainable development of opera in Portugal.
Trained in opera singing in Portugal and abroad, Rafaela Albuquerque has built a solid artistic career on some of the most important European stages. She was a member of the opera academy at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, where she developed much of her professional training and participated in various opera and concert productions, working with internationally renowned conductors, directors, and orchestras. Throughout her career, she has been praised for her vocal quality, musicality, and stage presence, excelling in operatic repertoire.
Alongside her work as a performer, Rafaela Albuquerque has developed a strong commitment to the training and mentoring of young singers. OperaTools was born from her experiences abroad and her awareness of the lack of intermediary structures in Portugal between academic training and the professional market.
As founder and artistic director of OperaTools, Rafaela Albuquerque leads a project that promotes opera productions, concerts, and artistic initiatives with high standards, offering young performers real professional experiences, artistic rigor, close mentorship, and direct contact with stage contexts. OperaTools positions itself as a platform for transitioning to professional life, based on valuing talent, artistic responsibility, and creating concrete opportunities.
In 2026, Rafaela Albuquerque will also stand out as a Special Guest Star in a major concert in Cascais, where she will sing alongside Sumi Jo and Plácido Domingo, integrating young singers from OperaTools on stage, in a project that exemplifies her artistic vision: to create bridges between generations, to unite international excellence and training, and to strengthen the future of opera in Portugal.
His artistic and pedagogical activity reflects a clear vision of culture as a space of continuity, high standards, and responsibility, always placing the stage at the service of the human and artistic growth of the performers.
Budget and due dates
General Project Execution Schedule
January – February 2026
• artistic and administrative planning for the year
• Defining repertoires, artistic and technical teams
• applications for support and formalization of partnerships
• Auditions and selection of young singers and musicians to join the OperaTools orchestra.
March – May 2026
• beginning of musical and artistic rehearsals
• Production of the first activities and concerts - first opera of the year
• Pedagogical and artistic support for young performers
• Development of communication and dissemination actions
June – August 2026
• continuation of rehearsals and artistic activities
• Intermediate concerts and public performances - second opera of the year
• Specific preparation for the major international concert
• Logistical and technical coordination of the Cascais event
September – October 2026
• Intensive rehearsals with choir, soloists, and orchestra
• Integration of young singers from OperaTools
• communication and promotion campaign for the concert
• final production and dress rehearsals
November 2026
• Holding a major concert in Cascais on November 21st, featuring Sumi Jo and Plácido Domingo
• artistic and institutional evaluation of the project
• Final reports and accountability to partners and patrons
December 2026
• Annual review of OperaTools' activities and the third opera of the year, plus the OperaTools international competition.
• Artistic and strategic planning for 2027
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