Phnom Penh: On November 21, 2025, All Dreams Cambodia and N&A Cambodia announce a landmark three-year collaboration agreement with NagaWorld to establish the Phnom Penh International Opera Festival as Southeast Asia’s premier sustainable cultural platform. As a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, the festival mobilises over 100 artists, musicians, and technicians to deliver world-class performances while pioneering comprehensive carbon accountability in the cultural sector.
The unprecedented alliance unites three major agreements running through 2028, positioning Cambodia as a regional hub for world-class performing arts while pioneering environmental accountability across all aspects of production, logistics, and audience experience.
The three-year collaboration with NagaWorld from 2025 to 2028 provides exclusive access to the 2,000-seat NABA Theatre at NagaWorld 2 for a series of cultural and entertainment events, beginning with Mozart’s Don Giovanni on December 12 and 14, 2025. The agreement includes venue support, hospitality services, and a revenue-sharing model that ensures sustainable growth for Cambodia’s opera scene.
In alignment with the festival’s carbon neutrality commitment, the Phnom Penh International Opera Festival has signed agreements with Vireak Buntham Express and TADA Cambodia to maximise the use of electric vehicles (EVs) for artist, technician, and VIP guest transportation throughout the production period. Vireak Buntham, operating Cambodia’s first electric luxury vans and buses between major cities, and TADA, with its expanding fleet of electric vehicles and zero-commission ride-hailing model, will provide low-emission ground transportation solutions that significantly reduce the festival’s mobility carbon footprint.
Under the artistic direction of His Royal Highness Prince Sisowath Ravivaddhana Monipong and renowned Italian director Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini, the festival will present three major productions: Don Giovanni (2025), La Bohème (2026), coinciding with the XXth Francophonie Summit, and La Traviata (2027).
The December 2025 production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni will be the world’s first opera to calculate and offset its complete carbon footprint—including not only staff and performers but also the travel and accommodation of the entire audience.
As part of this ambition, the Phnom Penh International Opera Festival is a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, formally committing to measure, reduce, report, and offset its emissions in line with international best practice in sustainable travel and events. The 2025 edition will mobilise over 100 artists, musicians, technicians, and creative professionals from Cambodia and abroad, making it one of the largest and most environmentally engaged performing arts initiatives ever staged in the Kingdom.
“For what should be the first time worldwide, the total carbon footprint of the event will be measured comprehensively,” explains Jacques Guichandut, Production Director.
“This sets a new benchmark by covering all sources of impact, proving that world-class performance and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.”
The production brings together over 100 international and local artists and technicians, including an Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, and Malaysian; a 40-member symphony orchestra featuring musicians from the Angkor Youth Orchestra Association; and circus and dance artists from Phare Ponleu Selpak.
The production has received the support of His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, who wrote, “En me réjouissant de l’avancée de votre projet Don Giovanni, je vous félicite pour vos efforts constants pour la promotion de la musique et de l’amitié entre les peuples.”
The festival enjoys backing from the Institut Français du Cambodge, the Italian Business Chamber Cambodia (ITACHAM), EuroCham, and multiple tourism and cultural associations.
The transportation agreements with Vireak Buntham Express and TADA Cambodia demonstrate the festival’s holistic approach to sustainability. By maximising electric vehicle usage for ground transportation during the production and performance period, the festival significantly reduces emissions from one of the largest carbon sources in event logistics. Vireak Buntham’s electric luxury coaches and TADA’s EV fleet ensure that artists, technicians, VIP guests, and staff travel in comfort while minimising environmental impact.
The annual opera series at NABA Theatre aims to position Cambodia as a hub for high-level cultural events in Southeast Asia, attracting international audiences through exclusive packages with airline partners and engaging specialist press and cultural influencers.
“This festival is fully aligned with Cambodia’s strategy for cultural diplomacy and supports the nation’s emergence as a regional cultural platform,” the festival documentation states. The initiative contributes to Cambodia’s cultural soft power while providing sustainable development for local arts infrastructure and talent.
The three-year partnership establishes an annual cultural calendar at NABA Theatre, with plans to expand beyond opera to include international choral competitions in collaboration with INTERKULTUR, including a National Choir Contest during the 2026 Francophonie Summit and the Royal Choral Awards in 2027.
Profit distribution from productions prioritises sustainability, with 15% allocated to future performance reserves, 15% to training projects, and 10% to NGO and community initiatives, alongside fair compensation for producers (40%) and artists (20%).
Photo by: Supplied
