HARY BELA

Hary Bela was born in Simleul Transilvaniei, Romania and educated in Cluj-Napoca, Paris and Weimar where he studied piano, composition and conducting. His teachers included Olivier Messiaen, Kurt Masur, as well as many others. His close relationship with the legendary Romanian conductor, Sergiu Celibadache, also had a profound impact on his artistic development.

Maestro Bela has been affiliated with the Hungarian Opera in Cluj-Napoca since 1956 and was its music director between 1970 and 1990. During his nearly 37 years of professional activity, he has conducted most operas and ballets in the standard repertoire.

As a guest conductor, Maestro Bela has appeared in Poland, Russia, Hungary, Italy and Germany.

As a conductor of symphonic music, Maestro Bela has led nearly all the major orchestras in Romania. His symphonic repertoire includes a great number of musical compositions beginning with the pre-classic composers and ending with the most representative compositions of the 20th century. He has a vast knowledge of Hungarian music, contributing to the presentation in Romania of Bartok’s remarkable compositions. On the occasion of Bartok’s birth centenary in 1981, the Hungarian Government decorated him for his role in advancing the knowledge and appreciation of the Hungarian master’s works. As a composer, Hary Bela has written for piano, chamber orchestra and the stage.

EMMANUEL SIFFERT

The Italian/Swiss conductor, Emmanuel Siffert, was assistant to John Neschling at the Stadttheater St.-Gallen during the 1994-1997 seasons; to Armin Jordan at the Grand Theatre de Geneve in 1998; and to Gerard Korsten at the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari for five productions; and to Rafael Fruebeck de Burgos, also in Cagliari.

Since 1999, he has been principal conductor of the EUROPEAN CHAMBER OPERA in London, England. He was a guest conductor at the Nuernberg Opera for Carmen and Rigoletto. Future opera engagements include Don Pasquale, Rigoletto, Carmen, Gianni Schicchi, and Suor Angelica. Maestro Siffert has also conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Mexico City Philharmonic and the Radio-Symphony Orchestra of Saarbruecken and many others. He is an active conductor of ballet and has recorded a wide range of repertoire for record labels of international importance.

KLAUS CORNELL

Klaus Cornell wird 1932 in Bern geboren und studiert dort am Konservatorium und an der Universität. Er setzt seine Studien am Mozarteum Salzburg fort, vor allem bei Sándor Veress. 1956 erhält Klaus Cornell den österreichischen Landeskulturpreis.

Er dirigiert das Orchester des Basler Theaters, engagiert sich dann bei der Deutschen Grammophongesellschaft und anschliessend beim Südwestfunk Baden-Baden. Er arbeitet auch bei der Schweizerischen Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft (SRG/DRS), vor allem als künstlerischer Leiter des Kompositionspreises der Europäischen Rundfunk Union (EBU). Man findet ihn an der Spitze des Schweizer Jugendsinfonieorchesters, er gehört zu den Mitbegründern der Gruppe Olten und realisiert zahlreiche Plattenaufnahmen. 1983 wird er Direktor des Konservatoriums Schaffhausen und er arbeitet mehrmals in der Jury des Musikwettbewerbs Genf. 1988 beschliesst er, sich in Nordamerika niederzulassen, wo er vorwiegend als Komponist und Dirigent tätig ist. Wieder zurück in Europa, lebt er vor allem in München und in Konstanz.

Ce compositeur est né à Berne en 1932. Il étudia au Conservatoire de cette ville ainsi qu’à l’Université. Il poursuivit sa formation au Mozarteum de Salzbourg, notamment auprès de Sándor Veress. En 1956, Klaus Cornell reçoit le Prix culturel de l’Etat autrichien. Il est, tour à tour, collaborateur du Théâtre de Bâle comme chef d’orchestre, puis s’engage auprès de la Deutschen Grammophongesellschaft, puis auprès du studio de la Südwestfunk de Baden Baden. Il fut également collaborateur de la Radio Télévision Suisse (SRG/DRS) où notamment il fut le directeur artistique du Prix de composition de l’Union Européenne de Radiodiffusion (UER). On le retrouve à la tête de l’Orchestre symphonique suisse des jeunes. Il est, entre autres, fondateur du Groupe d’Olten. Il a réalisé de nombreuses productions discographiques. Il fut également directeur du Conservatoire de la Ville de Schaffhouse. A plusieurs reprises, il participa aux travaux du jury du Concours International d’Exécution Musicale de Genève. En 1988, il décide de résider en Amérique du Nord où il travaille principalement comme compositeur et chef d’orchestre. De retour en Europe, il vit principalement à Munich et à Constance.

SOME OF THE CRITERIA USED BY THE JURY

Conductors will be evaluated primarily on their effectiveness during rehearsals in working with orchestra, chorus, cast, house pianists etc. A conductor's piano skills will not be a factor. Of course, knowledge of the scores and libretti will be important. More important, however, will be how effectively and artfully the conductor galvanizes, polishes, and inspires the whole during the rehearsal process through gesture, rehearsal manner and knowledge (including suggestions concerning diction, vocal production, general ensemble, orchestral technique, the interrelationship between drama and music) etc. For those conductors who advance to the third round, a mastery of Hungarian will not be an essential or a deciding factor. Musical matters will be first and foremost.

Hungarian Opera, Budapest, Exterior


Hungarian Opera, Budapest, Interior

Hotel Napoca

For more information, fees, and application procedures, please contact:

Elena Platon/Administrator
Bela Bartok International Opera Conducting Competition
E-mail: opera@bluedanubeviolins.com
www.bluedanubeviolins.com/opera.html
Telephone in Europe: +43 1 944 16 59
From the U.S., please call: 011 43 1 944 16 59

The application form can be found here.

Non-refundable application processing fee of 40 EUR.
Additional participation fee of 450 EUR for the 45 conductors accepted/invited. These 45 conductors will be requested to send 1/2 the participation fee (225 EUR) to reserve a competition slot. The balance must be paid at registration during the competition..

Click here to see a list and read more about our past
productions.

NB - All application materials as well as the 40 EUR
application fee (non-refundable) MUST be received ON
OR BEFORE 30 March 2005. Applicants whose materials or
fees arrive after that date will NOT be eligible.
All conductors will be notified of their acceptance status before
6 April 2005.

We have negotiated excellent hotel rates for conductors and their families at the Hotel Napoca in Cluj:

16 EUR per night for shared rooms (2 or 3 conductors per room)
23 EUR per night for a single room

HOTEL NAPOCA (CLUJ) IS ONE OF THE MAIN SPONSORS OF THE BELA BARTOK OPERA CONDUCTING COMPETITION.