Romania’s first upper-secondary school for musical theatre performers

Liceul Politehnica București, Opera Comică pentru Copii and the Cantus Mundi National Programme are launching the first model of upper-secondary education dedicated to the performing arts industry.

For the first time in Romania, pupils will be able to follow an educational pathway for musical theatre performers and technical professions in the performing arts industry as part of their school programme. Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, Liceul Politehnica București, together with Opera Comică pentru Copii and the Cantus Mundi National Programme, is implementing the first alternative curriculum framework within the „Programul Național pentru pilotarea sistematică de planuri-cadru în învățământul liceal de stat, particular și confesional”, initiated by the Ministry of Education.

The new programme makes artistic experience an integral part of education and builds a bridge between school and the professional stage. Pupils will be able to develop their artistic or technical skills within the school timetable, without having to choose between their education and their passion for performance.

„This partnership demonstrates that schools can go beyond traditional models and offer pupils real learning experiences alongside professionals. At POLITEHNICA București, we believe education should open doors to the future, not simply convey information. This is a first for Romania and an example of how collaboration between education and cultural institutions can create a modern training model in which passion, creativity and achievement go hand in hand. Through this partnership, school becomes a place where pupils gain real experience, working alongside professionals from both the artistic and technical worlds. Together with Opera Comică pentru Copii and the Cantus Mundi National Programme, we are building an educational model in which the stage and the classroom, technology and art, become parts of the same journey.”, said Mihnea Costoiu, Rector of Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie POLITEHNICA București.

The initiative builds on the experience gained through School of Musical, a programme developed by Opera Comică pentru Copii in co-production with the Cantus Mundi National Programme over the past four years, through which hundreds of children and teenagers have trained for productions such as Sunetul Muzicii, School of Rock, Annie JR., Matilda, the Musical and Charlie și fabrica de ciocolată. Many participants have already reached the professional stage, and the production Matilda, the Musical received the UNITER Award for Best Children’s Performance in 2025.

„Musical theatre has developed rapidly in Romania in recent years, with more varied repertoires and growing audience interest in this art form. At the same time, educational provision for the integrated training of musical theatre performers remains limited, with few programmes developing the specific skills this field requires from upper-secondary school onwards: acting, singing, dance and stage expression. Excellence in musical theatre is built through training that begins at an early age and is gradually consolidated through practical experience. In this context, the partnership between Liceul Politehnica București – which has the infrastructure and openness needed to develop such a programme – and Opera Comică pentru Copii – a leading institution in Romanian musical theatre, with a substantial repertoire and a busy performance schedule – represents an outstanding educational opportunity capable of meeting a real need in the cultural sector.", said Emil Pantelimon, Manager of the "Madrigal – Marin Constantin" National Chamber Choir and Coordinator of School of Musical.

As part of the optional subject, pupils will receive 12 hours of training per week, organised with the rigour of an academic subject. The programme offers two training pathways: Artistic Specialisation – acting, singing, dance, diction and developing stage expressiveness; Technical Specialisation, dedicated to professions in sound, lighting and visual media for performances. 

A defining feature of the programme is its practical component. Pupils choosing the artistic specialisation will take part in Opera Comică pentru Copii productions alongside professional artists and teams, while those choosing the technical specialisation will undertake practical placements within productions of the „Madrigal – Marin Constantin” National Chamber Choir and the Cantus Mundi National Programme.

,,This pilot programme is the result of an educational vision centred on pupils and on how learning should respond to the realities and professions of the future. We set out to build an educational pathway in which academic preparation, personal development and genuine artistic and technical skills form an integrated whole. We are talking about a school model in which practical experience is not an add-on, but part of education itself. Through this initiative, pupils are no longer forced to choose between academic achievement and their passion, but receive Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie POLITEHNICA București the opportunity to develop both together within a coherent and relevant educational framework. ”, said Laura Șerbănescu, Director of the Pre-University Education Directorate, Liceul Politehnica.

The programme will be implemented exclusively at Liceul Politehnica București, becoming Romania’s first educational model to integrate artistic and technical training for the performing arts industry into upper-secondary education.

„For many young people, a passion for the stage remains a dream that takes second place to school lessons. This programme offers an option: for the first time, a pupil can study musical theatre subjects as seriously as mathematics. We are therefore giving young people a real opportunity to discover and develop their talent without choosing between school and the stage.", said Dr Felicia Filip, Manager of Opera Comică pentru Copii.

Through this partnership, Liceul Politehnica București, Opera Comică pentru Copii and the Cantus Mundi National Programme propose an educational model that brings schools closer to the creative industries and the cultural labour market, giving pupils access to applied training, stage experience and real opportunities for professional development.

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Liceul Politehnica București is a pre-university educational institution developed within Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie POLITEHNICA București. It promotes an educational model centred on pupils’ balanced development through modern teaching and learning methods. In the 2026–2027 school year, Liceul Politehnica București becomes the first educational institution in Romania to implement the musical theatre pilot programme developed by Opera Comică pentru Copii and the Cantus Mundi National Programme.

Opera Comică pentru Copii is a public cultural institution under the authority of Bucharest City Hall and the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest, led since 2014 by soprano Felicia Filip. Unique in the world in terms of its target audience, Opera Comică pentru Copii brings children closer to art and culture through quality performances – opera, ballet, musicals, lecture-concerts, operetta and music theatre – and a range of innovative related projects, including summer and winter festivals, the „Micul Artist” workshops, „Magazinul OCC”, „În Spatele Cortinei” tours, „Petrecerile de ziua de naștere”, „Aventura Parc” and „Voluntariat”. More information at operacomica.ro.

Cantus Mundi National Programme is Romania’s largest programme for the social integration of children through music, initiated by renowned conductor Ion Marin and run by the „Madrigal – Marin Constantin” National Chamber Choir. Cantus Mundi was launched on 29 September 2011, and in 2014 a government decision established the programme as a new Directorate of the „Madrigal – Marin Constantin” National Chamber Choir. After 14 years of activity and 11 years since its formal recognition, Cantus Mundi brings together 2.510 choirs in Romania and the diaspora and over 87.800 children and young people.