The Relevance of Tailoring Project Management Pillars for Opera Exhibitions. A Focus on Time Management for OperaStudio 2025.

In a world that is increasingly complex and uncertain, the relevance of tailoring for project management increases as well. When a project manager has to implement a certain methodology, the “one size fits all” approach cannot hold: it is vital to adapt that methodology to the diverse characteristics of the project, to the multitude of factors influencing the project environment, and to the broader organizational context. Otherwise, things might not work as planned, resulting ultimately in project failure after a considerable waste of time and resources. The importance of tailoring for project success is extensively covered in many academic studies, of which the most relevant ones will be presented in the literature review at the beginning of this research. In general, the customization of the methodology according to the peculiarities of the project ensures that resources are utilized in the most efficient and effective way, outcomes are aligned with the overall strategic objectives, and exceptional value is delivered. This research study is aimed at understanding what project management tailoring is and at investigating its potential to deliver higher-value outcomes, applying theoretical considerations to a particular sector and a real-life case study. In particular, Chapter 1 will first present a literature review, including the main academic studies on project management tailoring, especially regarding the choice of an appropriate project management methodology and the steps to tailor it. Then, it will continue by presenting the difference between traditional and agile approaches to project management, concluding with some considerations around hybrid methodologies. Finally, the chapter will present the eight project performance domains - as in PMBOK, Seventh Edition - indicating which elements need to be tailored for each one of them. Chapter 2 will move the research to a particular sector, presenting the concept of project management in the field of events and, more specifically, opera exhibitions. The chapter will initially discuss the peculiarities of the project-event and the main characteristics of opera houses, with a focus on the Italian reality. Then, following the same order as in Chapter 1, the eight project performance domains and the tools to tailor them will be adapted to opera management. Finally, Chapter 3 will present a real-life case study, based on the author’s working experience in the project OperaStudio, born from the collaboration between the Conservatory B. Marcello, Academy of Fine Arts, and Teatro La Fenice of Venice. The quantitative analysis will employ traditional project management tools like CPA, PERT and GANTT together with some considerations about agile project management applied to the opera "Arcifanfano Re dei Matti".