For many people my age, opera and the symphony seem like relics of the past. Yet these art forms have long served as powerful tools of cultural diplomacy, national identity, and international cooperation. Engaging younger generations with this music is not only a cultural goal; it is an investment in the future of that diplomacy, since the institutions that carry it forward will only remain relevant if new audiences keep walking through their doors. I grew up in a music-loving household, attending the local symphony, opera, and ballet with my family. Studying history and international relations only reinforced what those evenings had already begun to show me: the symphony and opera are instruments of diplomacy, and their survival depends on the audiences we build today.

Opera and Symphony in International Relations