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Glyndebourne aims to hit the high notes with new singing contest Glyndebourne aims to hit high note with new singing contest
(about 1 hour later)
A new international competition for young opera singers which will guarantee its winner a role in a production at a major opera house has been announced by Glyndebourne. An international competition for young opera singers, which will guarantee its winner a role in a production at a major opera house, has been announced by Glyndebourne.
The Glyndebourne Opera Cup will hold heats in Philadelphia, Berlin and London before selecting 25 semi-finalists to compete before a panel of judges at the company’s house in East Sussex.The Glyndebourne Opera Cup will hold heats in Philadelphia, Berlin and London before selecting 25 semi-finalists to compete before a panel of judges at the company’s house in East Sussex.
Sky Arts is to televise the contest, although in documentary format rather than a kind of opera version of The X Factor. There will be no “red button or trap door”, promised Glyndebourne’s general director, Sebastian Schwarz. Sky Arts will televise the contest in documentary format, rather than an opera version of The X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent. There will be no red button or trap door, promised Glyndebourne’s general director, Sebastian Schwarz.
Schwarz, a former singer who had to give up on health grounds, said there was a real gap for such a contest. “I’ve been on the judging panels of a number of singing competitions and have seen what works and what doesn’t. When I arrived at Glyndebourne, with its giant reputation for discovering exceptional talent, it seemed an incredible opportunity to design the perfect singing competition from scratch.” Schwarz, a former singer who had to give up for health reasons, said there was a gap for such a contest. “I’ve been on the judging panels of a number of singing competitions and have seen what works and what doesn’t. When I arrived at Glyndebourne, with its giant reputation for discovering exceptional talent, it seemed an incredible opportunity to design the perfect singing competition from scratch,” he said.
There are, of course, other big international singing contests, not least the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition created in 1983. There are, of course, other big international singing contests, not least the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World created in 1983. Like Cardiff, the Glyndebourne contest will be held every two years and scheduled so they do not clash.
Like Cardiff, the Glyndebourne contest will be held every two years and scheduled so they do not clash. But Glyndebourne’s competition would have a distinct feel, Schwarz said, and get around the issue of juries often being asked to compare “pears with apples, especially when the repertoire spans from early baroque to the modern and everything in between”.
But Glyndebourne’s competition would have its own distinct feel, Schwarz said, and get around the issue of juries often being asked to compare “pears with apples, especially when the repertoire spans from early baroque to the modern and everything in between”.
For that reason, each edition would be dedicated to one composer or repertoire strand, with the inaugural competition in 2018 focusing on Mozart. The age limit of 28 would be raised, Schwarz said, if in future years the competition chose to focus on composers such as Wagner or Strauss, which required more vocal maturity.For that reason, each edition would be dedicated to one composer or repertoire strand, with the inaugural competition in 2018 focusing on Mozart. The age limit of 28 would be raised, Schwarz said, if in future years the competition chose to focus on composers such as Wagner or Strauss, which required more vocal maturity.
The overall winner will receive £15,000 and is guaranteed a role at one of the opera houses represented on the jury. In the first year they will include the Komische Oper Berlin, Dutch National Opera, Zurich Opera, Opera Philadelphia and Teatro La Fenice in Venice.The overall winner will receive £15,000 and is guaranteed a role at one of the opera houses represented on the jury. In the first year they will include the Komische Oper Berlin, Dutch National Opera, Zurich Opera, Opera Philadelphia and Teatro La Fenice in Venice.
The competition was unveiled as Glyndebourne announced a 2018 season which will include the UK’s first professional production of Samuel Barber’s neglected 1958 opera Vanessa; and a new production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande. The competition was unveiled as Glyndebourne announced a 2018 season that will include the UK’s first professional production of Samuel Barber’s neglected 1958 opera Vanessa; and a new production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.
It will take place in a noticeably more crowded country house opera schedule, with Grange Park Opera opening in Surrey in June this year. It will take place in a noticeably more crowded country house opera schedule, with Grange Park Opera opening in Surrey in June.
Glyndebourne’s executive chairman, Gus Christie, said the more opera which was available, the better. “Competition is no bad thing. We were the first and many have sprung up since and that is a form of flattery for Glyndebourne.” Glyndebourne’s executive chair, Gus Christie, said: “Competition is no bad thing. We were the first and many have sprung up since. That is a form of flattery for Glyndebourne.”