DATE: Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival Summer Program will be held from June 25 through August 7, 2023 (travel to and from Catania Fontanarossa Airport).
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
March 1, 2023
Mediterranean Opera Studio & Festival provides a unique opportunity for orchestra musicians to tackle important operatic works in cooperation with experienced orchestra leaders, and high level conductors. Understanding the style and tradition of opera through hard work with experienced mentor/musicians gives the young orchestra musician an invaluable growing skill set.
AUDITIONS:
Applications should be accompanied by a video recording of the required orchestral excerpt, and something of the candidate’s choosing. In addition Flute & Oboe applicants should also send a short excerpt or piece on their related instrument – Piccolo and English Horn.
Please send audition material to our Orchestra Managers Danny and Alison Miller: argyllquartet@gmail.com
The audition material —> TBD
Program details
Orchestra musicians have the chance to collaborate in bringing to life Mediterranean Opera Studio & Festival in Eastern Sicily. MOSF is first and foremost a training program. It has the goal of preparing artists for Opera.
Our orchestra musicians are led and mentored by professional orchestral players and conductors in the art of playing in an opera orchestra. Work in a collaborative way with your mentor and develop a greater understanding of both artistic and practical aspects of your art.
All orchestral musicians will be expected to perform in outside venues. Successful candidates should ensure they have suitable instrument insurance in place for the duration of the Festival or a secondary instrument for playing outdoors.
Instrumentalists should have their individual orchestral parts thoroughly prepared before arriving in Sicily (this applies to Tutti Strings). Some work will be done virtually before arriving in Sicily. Participants who are not prepared on arrival at the Festival will risk losing their position in the orchestra and forfeiting their place at the Festival – losing their deposit to pay for a suitable cover. This decision will be at the discretion of the Concert-Masters and/or Principal Conductors.
The health and well-being of our orchestral musicians is paramount. Applicants should note that the physical and mental demands of a repertory structured opera orchestra are incredibly high. Instrumentalists should be prepared and expect a busy schedule of rehearsals and performances.
Our Maestri in 2023 arrive to you from The Metropolitan Opera of New York, Royal Opera House Covent Garden – London, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and The Teatro Massimo Bellini of Catania. All orchestra musicians should approach rehearsal and performance in a punctual, focused, and respectful way. All participants are expected to maintain the highest standard of ethical, moral, and professional behavior.
Repertoire 2023
2023 Festival Schedule includes:
- Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti
- La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
- Third Opera TBD
- Opera concerts featuring selections from operas
- Opera concerts featuring: overtures, chamber music, and solo pieces for orchestra and orchestra members.
Costs
Orchestra musicians will pay a significantly discounted participation fee – a total of $800 (approx. $19/day), which includes breakfast and lunch at our facility every day, housing (single occupancy room with individual bathroom), weekly laundry service, transportation to and from airport*, all training (including Italian class and any masterclass offered), all performances, transportation to MOSF events, and programmed weekly tourism outings.
If you wish to stay at the more luxurious NH Villa San Mauro Hotel rather than at our dorm, there is an additional $1400 fee (total $2200 participation) if you are in a single occupancy room. If you stay in a double occupancy room with another participant, your additional fee is $700 (total $1500 participation).
All orchestra members must pay a $500 security deposit to secure their position in the program, which will be returned at the conclusion of the program. Should they decide to leave early, or they are unprepared and will need to be substituted, or are expelled, their deposit will be forfeited. This security deposit will be used to hire your substitute locally.
If you leave early, none of these fees are refundable.
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Participation fee $800
Participation with luxury hotel single room $2200
Participation with luxury hotel with second participant in room $1500
Security deposit $500
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All participants are responsible for their own airfare to Catania.
* In order to be eligible for airport transportation, arrival and departure must occur within a specific window on check in/check out day – as follows:
- Arrival Catania Fontanarossa Airport June 25th, pickup at 2:00pm and 6:00 pm
- Departure Fontanarossa August 7th (1st bus to airport will be at 6:30 am – arrival at airport around 7:45 am, 2nd bus departs around noon).
Any transportation outside the provided bus schedule is the responsibility of the participant.