Bartók Béla

International
Opera Conducting Competition

May 29 – June 10, 2007

In collaboration with
Blue Danube Musik Impresario GmbH (Vienna)

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Welcome to the second edition of the Bartok International Opera Conducting Competition, an event we believe to be unique in the world. Unlike some conducting competitions (mostly symphonic), the BIOCC gives competitors as much time as possible with orchestra, chorus and cast from the outset, rather than having conductors work with only a piano and a few instruments substituting for a full ensemble in the first round. The amount of time given to conductors in the first round is also generous 40 minutes in two sessions rather than the more typical 15-20 minutes in one. This gives conductors more time to adjust to the intensity of the competition situation and better portray their capabilities.

The series of rehearsals in Round II (orchestra, chorus, cast & full ensemble) is especially rigorous, allowing the jury members, orchestra and chorus (all of whom take part in the scoring) to see the full range of a conductor’s work in the opera house.

The contrast between Italian opera from the 19th century and a work like Bartok’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle also makes clear a conductor’s strengths and weaknesses as an operatic and symphonic conductor. The former is more the art of accompaniment and accommodation while the later is much more unilateral in nature.

The Bartok International Opera Conducting Competition has no minimum or maximum age limit. While instrumentalists frequently reach a high level of musical accomplishment at an early age, conductors usually reach their highest plateaus later in life. Very few conductors are anywhere near their eventual level of excellence by the age of thirty five, the cutoff age for many competitions.

Most sincerely,

Anthony Armore

director of the competition

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Our House, the Hungarian Opera House in Cluj is a very unique institution. On one hand, its uniqueness is due to the fact that Our House is the one and only professional Hungarian musical institution in Romania. On the other hand, it is also unique since it is the only opera house in the world where most performances are not held in the country’s official language but in Hungarian (the language of an ethnic minority). Furthermore, it is the only institution in the world that organizes an international opera conducting competition.

Our special status means success and prestige, however, it is a constant challenge, responsibility and artistic expectations. We have been faced with numerous challenges in the past two centuries. Our House is represented with thorough, high level expertise, thus proudly welcomes opera expert musicians from around the world. Such a task requires a morally sound opera company that values high standard artistic integrity. Welcome to Our House!

Gyula Szép

assistant director

of the Hungarian Opera Cluj

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Participants

36 conductors from 17 countries: Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Brasil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Mexico, New Zealand, Holland, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, United States of America

Program

Round I (36 conductors): May 29–June 1 (fragments from Verdi’s La traviata and Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalilah)

Round II (20 conductors): June 2 – 6 (Puccini’s Tosca and Leoncavallo’s Il Pagliacci)

Final round (6 competitors): June 7 – 8 (Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle)

Announcing the winners: 8th of June

Opera gala of the winners: 10th of June

Prizes

The first three competitors will receive honorary diplomas and gratuities as well as contracts with different European opera companies.

Sponsors:

Festival design & webpage by
István Molnár • Lizard Ltd.

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