The European Opera Centre, the only cultural organisation of its kind in Europe and a designated Cultural Ambassador by the European Union, will be holding auditions for the first time in Malta.

The European Opera Centre aims to offer a professional pathway helping talented Europeans from education to employment in opera and to develop audiences for opera across Europe, including in places where opera is rarely performed.

Candidates will be considered for a range of European Opera Centre projects, including performances with the European Union Youth Orchestra and for the opportunity to perform alongside Bryn Terfel, Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Selection is made on merit alone: there is no quota system by country. All auditions are conducted by Laurent Pillot, the centre’s head of Singer Development and Artistic Programme adviser. Unless otherwise specified for a particular project, all singers should prepare an aria by Mozart, as well as four contrasted operatic arias of choice in a range of languages. An official pianist is available at all auditions, although singers may also bring their own pianist.

Repetiteurs should prepare extracts from vocal scores of three contrasted operas, one by Mozart, one from the 19th century and a third from the 20th century. Candidates will be asked to sight-read from a vocal score. Candidates may also be asked to undertake a brief coaching session with a singer provided by the European Opera Centre.

Applications can be made through the online form at www.operaeurope.eu/index.php/auditions; forms are to be e-mailed to kolokio@hope.ac.uk, so that candidates can be allocated an audition time and receive all details regarding their audition.

For more information, contact Daniela Pisani Scalpello at the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts on 2124 5168 or on daniela.pisani-scalpello@maltaculture.com.

The auditions, which are being held in collaboration with the MCCA, will be held at Sala Isouard, Manoel Theatre, Valletta, on May 29.

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