Operalia 2020

Deadline: 10/04/2020
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Disciplines: Singing
From: 22/10/2020 To: 28/10/2020
Age limit: 18-32

Plácido Domingo’s Operalia, The World Opera Competition was founded in 1993 by Plácido Domingo to discover and honor the best new, young opera singers of today. His goal is to attract singers from around the world and have them audition and compete before a most distinguished panel of judges conformed by established international opera Opera Casting Directors and General Managers. Above and beyond the biggest money prize ever awarded to the finalists of a competition of this nature, it is Plácido Domingo’s firm commitment to build and support the career of any and all worthy contestants through his own personal guidance, consideration and recommendation.

Under the artistic guidance of Plácido Domingo, his Operalia competition is open to singers of all voice types, between the ages of 18 and 32 years old and who are ready to perform on the world’s great opera stages. Hosted in a different international city every year, Plácido Domingo’s Operalia Twenty Eighth Edition will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel, from Thursday, October 22 through to Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at the Israeli Opera. The 40 applicants selected to participate in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2020 will receive round trip travel arrangements to Tel Aviv, Israel and accommodations in this city by the Competition’s organizing committee.

All contestants must have 4 opera arias prepared in their original language. They may add, if they wish, 2 Zarzuela arias in order to compete in the Zarzuela section of the competition. Pianists / Accompanists will be readily available to the contestants during the competition.

Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2020 will take place over several rounds. These are:

1. PRELIMINARY SELECTION BY ELECTRONIC APPLICATION

Only through https://operalia.embark.com/apply/2020

Application Deadline: April 10, 2020

It is highly recommended to apply well before the deadline and not on April 10, as the system might be overloaded and applications might not go through.

Applicants must create an account in our official portal and submit their application through the following link: https://operalia.embark.com/apply/2020

Operalia does not charge any application fee, but please note that you will be required to cover a small fee to Embark for the use of their portal.

Once you create an account on https://operalia.embark.com/apply/2020 you will be asked to fill out an application and upload the following documents and recordings:

a) Application Form
b) A scanned copy of current passport
c) A professional biography and resume in English (Word or PDF format, 1 page maximum)
d) A personal Headshot photograph (Minimum size 4×6, Resolution 300 dpi, Format JPEG)
e)
 Video Recordings of 2 opera arias of the applicant’s choice (in addition, applicants may also upload 1 Zarzuela aria  if they choose to compete in Zarzuela category).

Requirements for video recordings include:

  • Only video recordings will be accepted

  • Only high quality and recent video recordings (within the last year) will be accepted

  • Opera arias must be from 2 different operas

  • Arias are required to be performed in their original language

  • Only live piano or orchestra accompaniment will be accepted (pre-recorded orchestra “karaoke” accompaniment will not be accepted)

  • Only 2 opera arias will be accepted

The applications will be reviewed by a panel of three judges who will select the 40 contestants to be invited to participate in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (The panel will choose also 10 alternate contestants who may substitute the first chosen contestants in case they cannot perform. These alternate contestants should remain available if necessary.) Both the first chosen contestants and the alternate contestants will be notified by email.

2. QUARTERFINALS ROUND – LIVE AUDITIONS ACCOMPANIED BY PIANO

Thursday, October 22nd & Friday, October 23rd, 2020

The 40 selected contestants must have prepared 4 opera arias in their original language. They may optionally prepare 2 Zarzuela arias. In this first round, each contestant will sing 2 arias from among the 4 arias prepared. The first aria will be chosen by the contestant and the second aria will be chosen for the contestants by the official jury. The Zarzuela aria will also be requested by the Jury in case the contestants have chosen to participate in this category. The Jury will audition 20 contestants on October 22nd and 20 others on October 23rd. On the evening of October 23rd. the Jury will select the 20 contestants that will advance to the next round.

3. SEMIFINALS ROUND – LIVE AUDITIONS ACCOMPANIED BY PIANO

Sunday, October 25th, 2020

20 semi-finalists will each sing 1 aria selected from among the prepared arias, chosen for them by the official Jury, and 1 optional Zarzuela aria. The Jury will then select the 10 contestants that will advance to the final round.

4. FINAL ROUND – LIVE AUDITIONS ACCOMPANIED BY FULL ORCHESTRA

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020

The 10 finalists will each choose 1 aria to sing from among the prepared arias and 1 optional Zarzuela aria. Under the leadership of Plácido Domingo, a most distinguished panel of judges conformed by established international Opera Casting Directors and General Managers from the world’s great opera houses will select the winners of the Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2020 Competition.

PRIZES

The prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

– First Prize: Best Female Singer – US$30,000.00

– First Prize: Best Male Singer – US$30,000.00

– Second Prize: Female Singer – US$20,000.00

– Second Prize: Male Singer – US$20,000.00

– Third Prize: Female Singer – US$10,000.00

– Third Prize: Male Singer – US$10,000.00

– Birgit Nilsson Prize: Female Singer – US$15,000.00

– Birgit Nilsson Prize: Male Singer – US$15,000.00

– The Pepita Embil de Domingo Zarzuela Prize for the Best Female Singer of Zarzuela – US$10,000.00

– The Plácido Domingo Zarzuela Prize for the Best Male Singer of Zarzuela – US$10,000.00

– The Prize of the Audience for the best Female Singer – Rolex Wristwatch

– The Prize of the Audience for the best Male Singer – Rolex Wristwatch

(Voted and chosen by the audience attending the Final Competition and offered by Rolex, Operalia’s Official Sponsor)

– The CulturArte de Puerto Rico Prize – US$10,000.00

Tied winners may also receive a prize.

Total Amount in Prizes: US$180,000.00 + Two Rolex Wristwatches

The Finalists who will not win a Prize will receive an Encouragement Award of US$5,000.00

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please send an email to: info@operaliacompetition.com

Please send your Electronic Application

through the following link: https://operalia.embark.com/apply/2020