Constanta National Theatre

OPERA CONSTANTA (Romania), one of the leading opera houses in Eastern Europe, announces A Masterclass (Worldwide) for Conductors and Vocal Artists to be held on the 17-29 June, 2003 in Constanta, Romania. The focus of the Masterclass will be on the following standard operatic repertoire: CARMEN (Bizet), IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA (Rossini), UN BALLO IN MASCHERA (Verdi).

Romania's second largest city, the seaport of Constanta has a Mediterranean flavor (given its location on the Black Sea), a population of approximately 400,000, and is 3 hours by train or car from Bucharest and its international airport (Otopeni). OPERA CONSTANTA performs in the acoustically-excellent Ovidius Theater, a hall that has a seating capacity of 400, and a medium sized pit for the company's professional orchestra of 55 musicians. The stage is ample for the company's large chorus, ballet division, and traditional sets.

The Masterclass will accept experienced applicants only: 6 conductors and up to 15 vocalists (as well as a number of qualified auditors) to work with OPERA CONSTANTA's orchestra, chorus, ballet, pianists, and directors. The Masterclass will culminate with public performances of each of the three operas (fully-staged and sung in the original languages).

Read an article on the 2002 Opera Masterclass.

VOCAL ARTISTS (a maximum of 15 will be accepted) will have the opportunity to sing a principal role (in its entirety) in one of the three operas at a public performance (fully-staged and sung in the original language), and will receive coaching and stage direction in all three works. Preparation will include work with the cast and conductors in a piano rehearsal, and with the full company in a Sitzprobe, dress rehearsal (Generalprobe) and performance.

NB: It is possible participants will be able to perform in principal or supporting roles of the other two operas as well (depending on availability).

The following roles are available (participants will study and sing portions of all three operas and perform a principal role (complete) in one public performance):

CARMEN: Carmen-mezzo soprano; Don Jose-tenor; Micaela-soprano;
Escamillo baritone; Zuniga-bass; Morales-bass baritone.

IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA: Count Almaviva-tenor; Figaro-baritone; Rosina-soprano;
Dr. Bartolo-basso buffo; Basilio-bass; Fiorello-baritone; Berta-soprano;
Ambrosius-bass.

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Amelia-soprano; Oscar-soprano; Ulrica-contralto;
Riccardo-tenor; Amelia's servant-tenor; Renato-baritone; Silvano-bass baritone;
Sam (Count Warting)-bass; Tom (Count De Horn)-bass; Chief Magistrate-tenor.


CONDUCTORS will work extensively with OPERA CONSTANTA's orchestra, chorus, pianists and soloists, and conduct portions of all three operas during the Masterclass. Coaching and instruction (including video review) will be provided by Maestro Gheorghe STANCIU, general music director and chief conductor of OPERA CONSTANTA. Each conductor will conduct half of one of the three operas in a public performance.

AUDITORS will observe all sessions and may participate in a limited number of conducting and/or coaching sessions. They will be responsible for their own accommodation costs (which will be available at very reasonable rates through OPERA CONSTANTA).

The Masterclass fee is 2150 USD for conductors, 900 USD for vocal artists and 375 USD for auditors. Accommodation is included in this fee for conductors and vocal artists only. Ground transportation will also be provided to and from Bucharest's airport and train station.

All materials must be received by 13 May 2003. Notification of acceptance will be made by 20 May 2003. We strongly urge you to use an express mail delivery service to guarantee your materials arrive in Constanta by the deadline.

GENERAL DIRECTOR
AND CHIEF CONDUCTOR OF OPERA CONSTANTA

Born in Romania in 1950, Maestro Gheorghe Stanciu was trained as a cellist and orchestral conductor at the Music Conservatory "George Enescu" in Iasi, in northeastern Romania. He subsequently enhanced his training in Bayreuth, Germany with conducting studies with Eric Berger and Masterclasses with the legendary Romanian conductor, Sergiu Celibidache. Since then, his rise in the ranks of European conductors has been significant. In 1976 he was engaged by the Lyric Theater in Constanta, Romania after winning a contest there for conductors. He has broadened his repertoire to include more than 30 titles of opera, ballet and operetta, in addition to most of the standard symphonic works with and without voice. His focus on operatic repertoire led to his being engaged as the general director of Music Theater in Galati (where he was born), and since 1998, as the general director and principal conductor of Opera Constanta (Romania's second largest city). There he leads performances of the major works by Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Donizetti, Mascagni and others, sung in their original languages. He frequently appears as a guest conductor in major European capitals and tours with Opera Constanta in such countries as Italy, Germany, Belgium, France, Holland, Russia, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine, etc. Maestro Stanciu has recorded three CDs with the orchestra and chorus of Opera Constanta: the Requiem Masses by Verdi and Faure, and the "Paulus" Oratorio by Mendelssohn.