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Opera Fusion: New Works

Fall 2012 Opera Fusion: New Works Residencies Just Announced

INTRODUCTION
Opera Fusion: New Works, now in its second year, is a program whose goal is to contribute to the vitality of opera in North America through the development and production of new operatic works. Funded by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Opera Fusion: New Works offers composers or composer/librettist teams the opportunity to workshop an opera during a 10-day residency.

PARTICIPATING PARTNERS
The program is a collaboration between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Opera program, building on a successful four-year partnership through The Corbett Foundation Opera Fusion Program. The co-artistic directors of Opera Fusion: New Works are Marcus Küchle, Director of Artistic Operations of Cincinnati Opera, and Robin Guarino, J. Ralph Corbett Chair of CCM Opera.

PROCESS
Opera Fusion: New Works welcomes applications for new operatic works at various stages of development, but focuses on work that is ready to be explored musically and dramatically in a well-funded and conducive environment. Works are reviewed and selected by the co-artistic directors in tandem with an advisory board made up of artists and professionals from the world of opera and theater.

The Opera Fusion: New Works workshops take place at both Cincinnati Opera and CCM Opera locations. Both organizations are equipped with state-of-the art facilities, well-designed and spacious rehearsal rooms, private studios, and performance venues. Performers will be cast from CCM Opera and the University of Cincinnati’s OMDA (Opera, Musical Theater, Drama, Theater Design & Production and Arts Administration) Division, one of the foremost opera and theater training programs in North America, in addition to casting professional singers as necessary. Cincinnati Opera provides administrative and logistical support. The composer or composer/librettist team receives an honorarium and per diem, as well as round-trip transportation and accommodations for the duration of the workshop.

The goal of Opera Fusion: New Works is to provide an environment where the composer or composer/librettist team can focus on the development of their work. The residency environment is designed to be inspiring and collaborative, and encourage exploration, innovation, and artistic growth. To that end, all workshops are presented as “readings.” Video recordings will be made at different times throughout the workshop to document the process. The composer or composer/librettist team is provided with the following human resources to support the workshop and artistic process: music director, stage director, dramaturg, stage manager, workshop coordinator, 7-10 principal singers, and two pianists. In the case of choral writing, every effort will be made to provide at least an SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) ensemble to represent the vocal parts. At the conclusion of the 10-day workshop, there will be a final reading at which a professional audio/visual recording will be made as an archive, developmental resource, and promotional tool. The invited audience will include professionals from the field, representatives from opera companies, and potential co-producers, in addition to the advisory panel, as available. The residency will conclude with a “next steps” meeting with the composer or composer/librettist team and co-artistic directors. In select cases, a piece may be invited to return for a second developmental workshop the following year.

ELIGIBILITY
Opera Fusion: New Works is open to composers or composer/librettist teams of proven artistic merit who are U.S. citizens or legal residents. There are no age restrictions. Completed works and works-in-progress will be equally considered, provided an excerpt of at least 20 minutes in length accompanies this application. A completed libretto and an example of vocal writing must accompany the submission.

Works which have not received a U.S. premiere are eligible to apply. All entries will be reviewed by the co-artistic directors and an advisory panel comprised of opera professionals and experts from the field of opera and theater.

IMPORTANT DATES – 2012 SESSIONS
Submission deadline: May 18, 2012, 11:59 p.m.
Announcement of winning submissions: July 2012
Workshop 1: October 18-28, 2012
Workshop 2: November 5-15, 2012

BEFORE YOU APPLY
The following is a short list of tips intended to make the application process fast and simple.

The application is a 4-step procedure:
1. The first page will ask you for contact information for the composer and librettist, whether or not the source material is original, if you are available for the workshop dates, and consent to the video documentation of the workshop. No files need to be submitted on this page.

2. On the second page, you will be asked to submit 5 files (plus an optional 6th file) in .pdf format only.

  • The bio/cv of the composer and librettist (one file for both).
  • A creative brief of the work, which should include the title, synopsis, roles, proposed orchestration, and approximate duration of the completed work. Additionally, we would like to know a bit about the inspiration and genesis of the work, as well as a list of any directors, conductors, or producers who have been associated with this work previously. The creative brief should be no more than one page total.
  • A piano-vocal score. Please note that if you submit multiple excerpts from different parts of the work, they need to be merged into a single .pdf file.
  • A full score that matches the audio excerpts you are going to submit. Again, if you submit multiple excerpts from different parts of the work, they need to be merged into a single .pdf file.
  • The complete libretto in its most up-to-date form.
  • If your source material is not original, you must submit proof that you have rights to the underlying source material or that the material is in the public domain.

3. On the third page, you will be prompted to submit an audio example in .mp3 or .m4a format only. The file size limit is 25 MB. As before, if you submit multiple excerpts from different parts of the work, the audio files need to be merged into a single .mp3 or .m4a file.

4. The fourth page is a confirmation page, thanking you for your successful submission. Your application is complete.

Application Available in Spring 2013.

Questions? Please email us at operafusion@cincinnatiopera.org.