Noticias
As part of the XV International Festival of Pitic
Hermosillo launches the 1st Sonora International Opera Competition Francisco Araiza
March 23, 2017As a tribute to the Mexican tenor Francisco Araiza, considered a living legend of the opera worldwide, it has been launched the first edition of the Sonora International Opera Competition "Francisco Araiza" that calls 18 to 38 year old women and men, of any nationality with inclinations to opera singing.
In a press conference, Director of the Municipal Institute of Culture and Art (IMCA, for its acronym in Spanish), Margarita Torres Ibarra emphasized that, with the help of the Sonora Lyric Foundation, it sought to innovate with an ambitious cultural project that would transform the capital into a true center of cultural development and in turn to launch the young Mexicans representatives of the Bel Canto, with real opportunities to develop a professional career in this field.
The contest is part of the XV International Festival of Pitic and the qualifying and stellar concert will take place at the end of May in which the winners will show their talent and will also receive cash prizes.
IMCA’s director reported that during the months she has worked, ten opera houses, theaters and academic institutions of great international importance have been added, endorsing the competition and participating with important prizes ranging from major roles in large productions, direct auditions, vocal training courses, as well as more than USD 40,000 in prizes for the top three places.
"There will also be one for the zarzuela, for the sound revelation, and of course the Francisco Araiza special prize”.
The prizes for the first three places are: 400,000 pesos, 200,000 and 100,000 pesos respectively. There will also be special prizes for Zarzuela for 60,000 pesos, Revelation Sonora Prize for 50,000 pesos and the Special Prize Francisco Araiza will be of 100,000 pesos.
The participating institutions where the auditions will take place are: the Conservatorio del Liceu in Barcelona (April 1st); le Grant Point Virgule theater de Paris (April 2nd and 3rd); the Operas of Oviedo (April 4th and 5th); Málaga (April 7th) and Tenerife (April 10th); Teatro Real, Madrid (April 6th); the International Academy of Music Elena Obraztsova, St. Petersburg (April 8th); the Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico (April 15th and 16th); and the Jefferson Performing Art Center, New Orleans (April 28th, 29th and 30th).
Each of the above mentioned institutions will be the venues for the face-to-face auditions where participants will be selected to reach the final stage at the Teatro del Auditorio COBACH in Hermosillo, Sonora, which will be held on May 28th.
"The winners of the first three places will have a rehearsal on May 29th with the Sonora Philharmonic Orchestra and on May 30th there will be a stellar concert with the winners and the orchestra."
Francisco Araiza, present at the press conference, will lead the jury composed of Octavio Sosa, executive coordinator of the Opera Studio of Fine Arts; Raúl Asenjo, attached to the Directorate of the National Lyric Theater of the Zarzuela; Olivia Gorra, Mexican soprano; Martha Mothèu, professional singer and teacher of the upper level of the Conservatorio del Liceu; and Alejandro Abrante, artistic director of the Ópera de Tenerife.
On the other hand, Araiza, who will also teach a master class at the University of Sonora during the days of the contest, pointed out that the Sonora International Opera Competition is a major project in America, since the continent does not participate in this type of major competitions internationally.
"That's why this competition emerges as a light throughout the continent and has the aspiration to assume a point of reference in the world of international opera, for which I am willing to cooperate in everything that is necessary for it to flourish and to reach a preponderant place in renown competitions ".
Araiza said he was honored that a contest of this magnitude bears his name. He pointed out that this contest is special because it is a competition that covers not only the youth, but also talents that may eventually be important and perhaps representative of the world of music worldwide.
"In a world in which we are mainly focused on youth, everything has to be young. The younger the better and that has its problems, since education and vocal development follow its own pace. It is very different the development of the vocal work, if you want to become good pianists, you increase the hours of practice, the voice has its own pace, you cannot influence it at all”.
Finally, Margarita Torres announced that the state of Sonora, through the Sonoran Institute of Culture, the Lyric Foundation and the University of Sonora, is awarding scholarships to all Sonoran participants who wish to participate.
Those interested in taking part in the competition may register on the website: www.franciscoaraizacontest.com, where they will also be able to know the requirements and all the necessary information regarding the selection phase, which will be both distance, and face-to-face in the above mentioned venues around the world.
Mexico,Distrito Federal
