Sustaining Hybrid Cultural Identities: Education and Careers of Thai Classical Singers in Western Opera

Abstract

This study examines how Thai singers trained in Western classical music navigate educational and career pathways that contribute to the cultural sustainability of opera in Thailand. Through performance documentation and semi-structured interviews with 46 professional singers—most of whom studied abroad but returned to Thailand—the research identifies patterns in training, mobility, and employment. While all but two participants held university degrees, a significant number pursued advanced studies overseas, particularly in Austria, often supported by scholarships such as ASEA-UNINET. The findings reveal the critical role of international education and funding in fostering access to global opera traditions, while simultaneously enabling artists to sustain and adapt these traditions within a Thai cultural context. This article situates Thai classical singers as cultural mediators who preserve and transform Western operatic heritage through local performance, education, and hybrid identity formation. It highlights how such artistic mobility fosters cultural resilience and reinforces the importance of inclusive policy frameworks that support the continuity of diverse musical legacies in a globalized world.