Atlanta Opera 96-Hour Opera Project Competition 24-25

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The 96-Hour Opera Project, a composition showcase competition in which teams of composers and librettists have four days to rehearse and premiere new and compelling 10-minute operas.

Participating teams will travel to Atlanta having previously completed and submit new works based on provided story prompts. Creative teams will spend four days collaborating with singers and pianists, rehearsing and fine tuning these works in advance of the final public showcase on June 21 on the stage at the historic Morehouse College. Travel, housing, singers, pianists, and rehearsal space will be provided to each composer/librettist team. The winning team will split a $10,000 prize, which will serve as the first installment on a commission to write a chamber opera for a future season at the Atlanta Opera. All other participating artists are each guaranteed a $1,000 honorarium

Designed specifically for composers and librettists from historically underrecognized communities, the 96-Hour Opera Competition is open to those who self-identify as part of a demographic that has been under-presented in the creative pantheon of opera.

Application is limited to emerging artists who are determined to have significant skills as a composer and/or playwright/librettist through academic study and limited professional experiences; who demonstrates a unique perspective that could benefit from mentorship. Artist's work in other genres may have been performed professionally as our definition of emerging applies specifically to an artist's development and career stage as a creator of opera.

Successful applicants will express interest and enthusiasm for opera as a form for storytelling and their work, however artists with no previous opera experience are encouraged to apply. They will demonstrate excellence as evidenced by submitted samples of previous composition/writing and a developed voice in their chosen art form and will commit to following a provided story prompt to develop a 10-minute work for a maximum of 2 voices.

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Date of Birth *

MM/DD/YYYY Format

Are you a permanent resident or citizen of the United States?*

We are only able to accept permanent residents and citizens of the United States for this project.

Yes

Are you applying to the 96 Hour Opera Project as a*

Composer

Librettist

Are you applying to the 96 Hour Opera Project as part of a team? (Composer and Librettist together)*

Yes

If you are applying as a team, who is your partner?

If you are accepted into the 96 Hour Opera Project and your partner is not, do you still wish to be considered as an individual applicant?*

Yes

Not applicable

Please upload an Artistic Statement explaining why you wish to participate in the 96 Hour Opera Project and why you self-identify as being part of an underrecognized community in opera*

Number of documents required: 1.

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Work Samples

Composers: Please submit three work samples (contrasting styles preferred), consisting of either an audio or video link accompanied by a PDF score link. Please include one piece that showcases vocal writing and one work sample that showcases skills in orchestral writing.

Librettists: Please submit two contrasting work samples in PDF format. Work samples do not necessarily need be opera libretti but should showcase your dramatic writing skills. Please limit each submission to one scene that is 10-15 pages. Submissions will be evaluated based off of artistic excellence or the potential for artistic excellence, artistic ability, knowledge of both vocal and orchestral writing (composers), and character development (librettists)

Please upload your Resume/ CV*

Number of documents required: 1.

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Please upload your Biography*

Number of documents required: 1.

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Please upload your Headshot*

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Composer Work Samples (Video)*

This question is required for composer applicants only. If you choose to offer a combination of video and audio submissions, please do not include more than 3 files in total or your form will not submit. Number of video and/or audio (combined total) required: 3.

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Composer Work Samples (Audio)

While video is strongly preferred, this question will allow audio submissions if needed. Maximum number of audio and/or video (combined total) permitted: 3

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Composer Work Scores*

Please include 3 work scores that correspond to your uploaded video (or audio) samples. This question is required for composer applicants only. Minimum number of documents permitted: 3. Maximum number of documents permitted: 5

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Librettist Works*

Please submit two contrasting work samples (one scene each 10-15 pages only) in PDF format. This question is required for librettist applicants only. Minimum number of documents permitted: 1. Maximum number of documents permitted: 5

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References

References*

Please list two professional references Number of selections required: 2.

Selection 1

Selection 2

Themes*

Please select the themes below with which you identify* and/or appeal to you as a storyteller. Your selections may be used to help assemble creative teams as needed.

Immigration

Loss

Citizenship

The Civil Rights Movement

World Wars and Race

Inter-Generational Understanding

Stories of Black Americans

Stories of Asian Americans

Stories of Latinx Americans

Stories of Indigenous Peoples

LGBTQIA+

Gender and Race

Protest Stories

Multi-racial identity

Atlanta History

Other

Stories That Resonate

The Atlanta Opera will provide a compelling story theme or themes for the participating librettists and composers. The story prompts will be given to the creative teams in advance of the competition with time to engage in exploration and research on the subject.

If Other, please specify

The Atlanta Opera requires all applicants to complete a Demographic Survey. Survey information is collected for the purpose of assessing the diversity of our applicants and improving our application process.

Racial/Ancestral Identity (Affiliation based on biological lineage or parentage without regard to cultural/ethnic affiliation). This is not where you were born but the various geographical regions that your biological ancestors inhabited. You may have ancestors from multiple world regions.

Racial/ Ancestral Identity*

Examples include: North American Continent (Indigenous), South American Continent (Indigenous), European Continent: North Europe, East Europe, Southeast Europe, South Europe, Unspecified; African Continent: Black, North Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, Horn of Africa, Unspecified; Asian Continent: North Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, Unspecified; Oceanian Land Masses: Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, including Hawaii, Australasia, Unspecified; Prefer not to say, None, Other and, other communities of color, including those artists from outside the US

Ethnic/Cultural Identity*

(Affiliation based on language, customs, traditions, religion, art, or cuisine) Please specify your ethnic/cultural identity as you choose. There are thousands of ethnicities and cultures around the world and they can be identified as broadly or as specifically as you like.

Gender Identity*

What are your pronouns?*

Is there anything else about your identity that you’d like to share with us?

The 96 Hour Opera Project will incorporate creative works from multiple individuals and institutions and will be recorded as a broadcast/streaming production to be available on Georgia Public Broadcasting and The Atlanta Opera Spotlight Media. For these reasons, contestants will be required to sign agreements regarding the use of their likeness and creative contributions as a condition of participation. I agree that by submitting this application, I am available for the 96-Hour Opera Project Competition taking place in Atlanta from June 17-21, 2025 and will enter into an agreement allowing my likeness and creative contributions to be recorded for broadcast/streaming purposes.