Latin American Creative Lab for New Opera
Until 31st August, teams consisting of a composer, a director, and a librettist from across Latin America can apply for the Latin American Creative Lab for New Opera, which will include training stages. The three finalist chamber operas will have a concert reading, and the first prize will include the premiere of the work, all carried out by the Contemporary Music Workshop Ensemble directed by Chilean composer Pablo Aranda.
Featured photo: Carlos Arriagada-Música UC
Applications for the Latin American Creative Lab for New Opera are open until 31st August, as part of a collaboration between the UC Music Institute, Opera Latinoamérica, the Municipal Theatre of Santiago, and the UC Innovation Centre.
Actors from the Latin American community of composers, directors, and librettists can participate by forming teams of three to present a proposal for a short chamber opera, lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.
Find the application form here
The winning chamber opera will be premiered by the Contemporary Music Workshop Ensemble in 2025. The organisation of this ensemble, for all stages of the competition, will include a singer, two actors, two flutes, a clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, cello, and a conductor.
Each team, consisting of a composer, a stage director, and a librettist, may only submit one creation, and the submitted works must be original, i.e., they must not have been published, staged, or awarded previously.
Six works selected by the jury will participate in training with opera scene professionals; then, the proposals will be read, and first, second, and third places will be determined.
A concert reading of the three finalist works will be scheduled for 14th November at the Museo de Artes Visuales Mavi UC, as part of the 1st OLA–UC Academic–Industry Meeting.
The jury will include two invited foreign composers, the directors of the UC Music Institute, Opera Latinoamérica, and the Municipal Theatre of Santiago – or individuals appointed by these authorities – as well as the director of a theatre member of the OLA Network and an academic appointed by the UC Innovation Centre.
The purpose of the call is to support the creation and circulation of new repertoires in the region, with the selection process focusing on understanding opera as a musical drama connected with social issues. Key themes to be considered include sustainability, diversity, digital transformation, vernacular sounds, rhythms, and instruments, and the dialogue between tradition and avant-garde.
