Announcements

The Young Artists Opera Program announces additional call for applications for the 2018/19 season to select up to four singers (soloist/vocalist from 2 to 4 vacancies).

Audition requirements: performers born between 1984 and 1998, holders of incomplete/complete higher music education degrees.

Call for applications started on 10 April, 2018.

The Bolshoi Theatre does not refund travel or accommodation expenses for attending audition.

Audition Procedures

Round One:

• Audition in Tbilisi, The State Opera House of Georgia — 25 May, 2018.

• Audition in Yerevan, The Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan — 27 May, 2018.

• Audition in St. Petersburg, The St. Petersburg Palace of Studying Youth — 30, 31 May & 1 June, 2018.

• Audition in Chișinău, Chișinău Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts — 5 June, 2018.

• Audition in Novosibirsk, The State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre — 11 June, 2018.

• Audition in Ekaterinburg, The Ural Conservatory — 12 June, 2018. 

• Audition in Minsk, The Belarusian State Academic Music Theatre — 16 June, 2018. 

• Audition in Moscow,
Opera classes in the Auxiliary Building of the Bolshoi Theatre — 20 & 21 September 2018.

All participants should come with their own accompanist, the form is to be filled in advance.
Form is considered accepted if you received an automatic notification to the e-mail address in 10-15 MINUTES after the sending of the form.
In Moscow, on a preliminary application theatre will provide an accompanist for nonresident participants.

The program of each round includes at least two arias: the first one is to be chosen by a singer, the second one is to be chosen by the board from the repertoire, submitted by each competitor in the application form. The repertoire should include 5 arias in three or more languages; Russian, Italian and French (and/or German) are compulsory. All arias from the list are to be performed in the original language. The board reserves the right to ask a competitor to perform more or fewer arias.

The number of the first round participants is not limited.

Round Two:

Audition in Moscow, at the Bolshoi Theatre,
New Stage — 22 September, Historic Stage — 23 September, 2018.
All participants should come with their own accompanist (on a preliminary application theatre will provide an accompanist for nonresident participants). Candidates should prepare two-three arias - the first one is to be chosen by a singer, the second one is to be chosen by the board from the repertoire for the first round. All arias from the repertoire are to be performed in the original language. The board reserves the right to ask a competitor to perform more or fewer arias.

A maximum of 40 candidates will be heard in this round.

Round Three:

1. Audition in Moscow, on the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre — 24 September 2018.
All participants should come with their own accompanist (on a preliminary application theatre will provide an accompanist for nonresident participants). Candidates should prepare one-two arias from the repertoire list chosen by the board on the results of Round Two.
2. A lesson/an interview with the Director of the Young Artists Program.

A maximum of 20 candidates will be heard in this round.

The Young Artists Opera Program of the Bolshoi Theatre

In October 2009, the Bolshoi Theatre set up the Young Artists Opera Program, in which young singers and pianists from Russia and the CIS countries have opportunities to refine their professional technique. For two years, young artists selected on the basis of auditions, are coached in different disciplines, including vocal techniques, stage movement and stagecraft, foreign languages; they also attend master-classes given by famous opera singers and coaches. In addition, participants have an immense stage practice, including singing roles in premieres and current opera productions of the Bolshoi Theatre, as well as preparing various concert programs.

Since its foundation the acknowledged professionals in the field of opera art have worked with the artists of the Young Artist Opera program, such as singers Elena Obraztsova, Yevgeny Nesterenko, Irina Bogacheva, Maria Guleghina, Makvala Kasrashvili, Carol Vaness (USA), Neil Shicoff (USA), Kurt Rydl (Austria), Natalie Dessay (France), Thomas Allen (United Kingdom); Pianists - Giulio Zappa (Italy), Alessandro Amoretti (Italy), Larisa Gergieva, Lubov Orfenova, Mark Lawson (USA, Germany), Brenda Hurley (Ireland, Switzerland), John Fisher (USA), George Darden (USA); Conductors - Alberto Zedda (Italy), Vladimir Fedoseev (Russia), Mikhail Yurovsky (Russia), Giacomo Sagripanti (Italy); directors - Francesca Zambello (USA), Paul Curran (USA), John Norris (USA), etc.

Artists and graduates of the Young Artists Opera Program perform on the largest stages of the world, such as Metropolitan Opera (USA), Royal Opera House (UK), Teatro alla Scala (Italy), Berliner Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper Berlin (Germany), Opera de Paris (France), Wiener Staatsoper (Austria) and others. Many graduates of the Youth Opera Program joined the Bolshoi Opera Company or became the guest soloists of the theatre.

The Artistic Director of The Young Artists Opera Program is Dmitry Vdovin.

A scholarship is paid to all participants during the whole period of studying; Nonresident participants are provided with accommodation.