Orpheus Competition

"ORPHEUS" COMPETITION

VII INTERNATIONAL NEW CHAMBER OPERA COMPETITION "ORPHEUS 2005-2006"( Past Edition )



The Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli"

in agreement with 

Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Spoleto

in collaboration with

Fondazione Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Rai Trade

Rai Radio 3

with the contribution of

Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali
Direzione Generale per lo Spettacolo dal Vivo 
 
announces the

VII INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
For NEW CHAMBER OPERAS “ORPHEUS” 2005-2006 FONDAZIONE CASSA DI RISPARMIO DI SPOLETO

 

 

ART. 1 
The competition is open to composers of any nationality, who are under 40 years of age on the 31st December 2005. 
ART. 2
The Competition is organized in two phases:

  1. First phase: selection of the opera plans. No later than 31/12/2005 participants should forward an opera plan, sending n.8 copies of the summary (synopsis), libretto and extract of the score lasting at least 10 minutes.

By the 31st January 2006, after the examination of the works, the Jury will choose at maximum three opera plans.
The composers of the three selected opera plans shall be present in Spoleto for the awarding of the prizes, on a date that will be later communicated by the secretariat of the Competition, anyway no later than a month after the Jury’s decision.

The composers will stay in Spoleto no longer than three days.

On this occasion the finalist composers will meet the President of the Jury, the Artistic Director of Teatro Lirico Sperimentale, a director and a conductor selected by Teatro Lirico Sperimentale and explain them how they want to complete their operas.

The Teatro Lirico Sperimentale will also organize a conference meeting open to the students of composition of the Italian Conservatories and of the Schools of Spoleto and Umbria, during which the composers will present their opera plans.

Teatro Lirico Sperimentale will cover the travel and accommodation expenses of the finalists in Spoleto.

  1. Second phase: the three selected composers shall complete the opera and send it no later than the 10th November 2006 ( the date of the postmark will bear witness).

Only after the opera is completed and sent within the final application date, each selected composer will be awarded the prize Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Spoleto of Euro 3.000,00( 3 thousand Euros).
The finalist participants shall send 8 copies of the scores, the librettos and the synopsis, besides a copy of the score for singing and piano.
By the 31st December 2006 the Jury will select one of the three operas. The winning opera will be awarded the prize Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Spoleto of Euro 6.000,00 (6 thousand Euros) and the prize “Tullio Profili” of Euro 5.000,00 (5 thousand Euros).
ART. 3 
To be eligible for the competition, compositions must be unpublished, unperformed and never been awarded prizes in other competitions. 

ART. 4

The librettos can be written in Italian, German, English, French or Spanish. In addition, participants shall provide a short synopsis of the libretto typewritten in the same language as the libretto and if possible also in Italian.

ART. 5

The scores must conform to the following specifications:

  1. no more than 4 voices;
  2.  eventual presence of a chamber choir (of up to 12 singers);
  3. instrumental ensemble of no more than 15 performers (electro-acoustic instruments and equipment are permitted);
  4. a duration of not more than 60 minutes and no less than 45 minutes;
  5. only one scene setting.

ART. 6 
Participants can submit more than one opera.
ART. 7 
The winning opera will be published by Rai Trade which will supply the material for its performance. Should composers be contractually bond to another Publishing House, different from Rai Trade, they shall provide a declaration signed by the composer himself as well as by his Publishing House, allowing and authorizing the editing of the selected opera by “Rai Trade”.
ART.8 
The world première of the winning opera will take place at the Teatro Caio Melisso during the 2007 Opera Season of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli". The winning opera could be in case also staged in Rome in 2008 within the program of the Teatro dell'Opera of Rome. 
The Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli" has the right, according to its unquestionable judgement, to present also one of the two not winning operas as a world première during the 2007 Experimental Opera Season. 
In the period between the date of the submission of the operas to the competition and the date of the performance in Spoleto in 2007, the winning opera and the other two finalist ones cannot:

  1. be performed or presented in a concert form;
  2. be filmed and recorded on audio-video supports;
  3. be broadcast by radio or television;
  4. be the subject of any contract regarding the exclusive right of edition and/or performance, of filming and/or recording.

Participants shall accept the decisions of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli" concerning all the aspects of the performance. The prizes for the winning composer of the Competition will consist in the performance of his work at the Teatro Caio Melisso in Spoleto and in the prizes by the “Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Spoleto” of € 6.000,00( 6 thousand Euros) and “Tullio Profili” of € 5.000,00 (5 thousand Euros). The winning opera will be filmed during the performances in Spoleto and broadcast by Radio3. 
ART. 9 
The composers of the operas performed will be hosted in Spoleto on the occasion of the performance.
ART. 10 
The Jury will be composed as follows:
- 3 internationally renowned musicians;
- 1 musician of Fondazione Teatro dell'Opera of Rome;
- the Artistic Director of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli";
- 1 musician representative of RAI-Radiotre
- 1 representative of RAI Trade.

ART. 11

The opera plans referred to in ART.2 point a) shall be sent to Segreteria of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli" Piazza G. Bovio n. 1 - Spoleto 06049 (PG) – Italy no later than 31st December 2005 (the date of the postmark will bear witness). 
ART. 12 
Should the operas contain graphic characters or unusual symbols, the authors shall supply precise explaining information regarding the correct meaning and use of such signs.
As to the first phase, ref. ART. 2 a), the extracts of the scores, librettos and summaries (synopsis), marked anonymously, should be distinguished by a motto. This motto must also be shown on a sealed envelope containing the following documentation:
- name, surname, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, nationality of the composer;
- 3 photographs of the composer; 
- a declaration by the author stating on his/her own responsibility that the composition is unpublished, unperformed and that it has never been awarded a prize in other competitions;
- a declaration of consent to an eventual free audio and visual filming of the performance in Spoleto by Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto “A. Belli” for archives use;
- a declaration of acceptance that editor Rai Trade will publish the winning opera or a declaration of the author and of the Publishing House as foreseen by Art. 7;
- a curriculum vitae, covering both academic and artistic aspects;
- a declaration authorizing Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto “A. Belli to handle the personal data supplied to participate to the competition, in accordance with Article 10 of Italian Law 675 dated 31/12/1996. These data will be used exclusively for the purposes concerning the management of this Competition itself.(The holder of these data is the Istituzione Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli").

  1. a receipt for a postal order for € 30,00 for each opera submitted as an inscription fee for the competition, payable to the order of:

Istituzione Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli" - Piazza G. Bovio n. 1 - Spoleto 06049 (PG) – Italy

The enrolment fee will not be reimbursed under any circumstances.
ART. 13 
The opera plans, ref. ART. 2 a), scores and librettos may be sent back at applicants' expense on explicit request after the completion of the competition. However, in any case, two copies will be retained to be part of the score archive of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli".
ART. 14 
The Jury may select some operas or some opera plans considered particularly noteworthy as well as decline to assign the prize in the event that none of the operas or of the opera plans submitted is considered worthy.
ART. 15 
The decisions of the Jury are unquestionable and not subject to appeal.
ART. 16 
The request to participate and the submission of the operas to the Competition imply the acceptance of all the rules contained in this announcement by the participant.
The non-observance of the rules of this announcement will cause the decadence of any right deriving from the result of the Competition.
In case of dispute, the original Italian version will be considered valid. Any legal controversy will be submitted for settlement to the Court of Spoleto.
Further information may be obtained from:

Istituzione Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto "A. Belli" 
Piazza G. Bovio n. 1 - 06049 SPOLETO (Pg) - Italy 
Tel. 0743/221645 o 220440 - Fax 0743/222930 
Web site: http://www.tls-belli.it/ 
E-mail: teatrolirico@tls-belli.it

This competition announcement is subject to the approval of the “Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali - Direzione Generale per lo Spettacolo dal Vivo”.

 

“Orpheus Competition” winning operas

1993/1994 Jury:
President Luciano Berio
Members: Philippe Boesmans, Friedrich Cerha, Mrius Constant, Edison
Denissov, Hans Gabor, Michelangelo Zurletti

Winnin opera
“Ligeia” by Augusta Read Thomas
Pointed out opera
“Anacleto Morones” by Victor Rasgado

Performances
“Dittico Contemporaneo” composed

by Ligeia and Anacleto Morones
Spoleto, Teatro Caio Melisso
9th and 11th 1994
Conductors: Gianpiero Taverna, Mark Fitz-Gerald
Director: Luca Ronconi

1995/1996 Jury:
President Luciano Berio
Members: Spiros Argiris, André Boucourechliev, Luis De Pablo, Betsy Jolas,
Richard Trythall, Michelangelo Zurletti

Winning opera
“Dokumentation I” by Helmut Oehring
Performances
Spoleto, Teatro Caio Melisso
August 31st and September 1st 1996
Conductor: Roland Kluttig
Director: Daniele Abbado

1997/1998 Jury:
 President Luciano Berio

Members: Philippe Albera, Gilbert Amy, Louis Andriessen, Milko Kelemen,
Peter Ruzicka, Michelangelo Zurletti

Winning opera
“Le parole al buio” by Paolo Furlani
Performances
Spoleto, Teatro Caio Melisso

September 4th, 5th and 6th 1998
Conductor: Enrique Mazzola
Directors: Piera Degli Esposti

1999/2000 Jury:
President Luciano Berio
Members: Louis Andriessen, William Bolcom, Luis De Pablo, Betsy Jolas,
Andrea Molino, Michelangelo Zurletti

Winning opera
 “Midea (2)” by Oscar Strasnoy
Performances
Spoleto, Teatro Caio Melisso

September 8th, 9th and 10th 2000

Conductor: Andrea Molino
Director: Henning Brockhaus

2001/2002 Jury:
President Luciano Berio

Members: Gilbert Amy, Fabio Vacchi, Richard Trythall, Betty Olivero,
Wolfgang Schreiber, Michelangelo Zurletti

Winning opera
Prized not assigned

2003/2004 Jury:
President Louis Andriessen
Members: Mauro Trombetta, Giacomo Zani, Hanna Kulenty, David Lang,
Walter Hus, Michelangelo Zurletti


Winning opera
Prized not assigned

2005/2006 Jury:
President Louis Andriessen

Members: Michele Dall’Ongaro, Carlo Donadio, Luca Francesconi,
David Lang, Luigi Taglioni, Michelangelo Zurletti

Winning opera
“Obra maestra” by Giovanni Mancuso
Performances
Spoleto, Teatro Caio Melisso

September 6th, 8th and 9th 2007
Conductor: Marco Angius
Conceiving, direction and dramaturgy: Pippo Delbono

Loading