Italian opera Turandot takes center stage in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Nurturing audiences and talent highlighted in inaugural Beijing forum bringing together leading institutions.

Editor's Note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. This is part of a series looking at the significant developments in various fields as the country increases its interaction with the world.

Born in 1947 in Vienna, one of the world's music capitals, Alexander Pereira dreamed of becoming an opera singer.

While he did not quite make the cut to take the stage, Pereira said his career in identifying and developing talent for the opera and other performing arts has been no less fulfilling.

"God gave me another beautiful talent ... to look at how a person will sing," says Pereira, who is CEO and artistic director of Italy's iconic, 240-year-old Teatro alla Scala opera house.

Pereira was speaking at the inaugural Beijing Forum for Performing Arts in June, where he joined about 200 counterparts and top industry professionals from nearly 70 leading institutions of over 20 countries and regions to discuss the latest developments in the field and exchange ideas toward its growth.

Hosted by the capital's National Centre for the Performing Arts, forum participants covered topics ranging from theater operations and management to arts education and audience development.