Foundation
The first Jerwood Opera Writing Foundation, led by Artistic Advisor Giorgio Battistelli and a distinguished faculty of experienced practitioners, featured three week-long workshops in March, July and October 2007 (for dates of future courses please see below).
The workshops mixed practical exercises, theory and discussion, with contributions from teachers including Giorgio Battistelli, Harrison Birtwistle, Alison Chitty, Lavinia Greenlaw, Stephen Plaice, and Stephen Langridge, and culminated in performances of mini music theatre works created by the 20 participants.
Ten of the participants were composers, mostly at the start of a professional career but with little or no experience in writing opera, while the remaining participants were a mix of poets, playwrights and directors with an interest in, but no experience of, writing libretti.
Following on from this and based on artistic merit, five Jerwood Opera Writing Fellowships may be awarded again, giving an unique opportunity for composers and their collaborators to receive tailor-made support for writing a new opera. Further details will be announced nearer the time.
Foundation Course 2010 - 2011
The programme comprises three week-long workshops at Aldeburgh, led by Artistic Adviser Giorgio Battistelli. Participants will be paired up for creative tasks and create small pieces or extracts to specific briefs. A wide range of composers, librettists, dramaturges, directors, singing experts and opera industry professionals will come and give seminars on their own subjects.
The three separate weeks in which participants will be resident at Aldeburgh will be within the following dates:
Week 1 - November 2010
7 days total within the following dates: 14 - 27 November 2010
Week 2 - February/March 2011
7 days total within the following dates: 26 February - 5 March; or 13 - 26 March 2011
Week 3 - July 2011
7 days total within the following dates: 9 - 18 July; or 23 - 31 July 2011
All participants will receive a bursary to cover all tuition costs, and we will endeavour to help with travel costs both from within and outside the UK. While in Aldeburgh, participants will be provided with self-catering accommodation and lunch each day.
An advisory panel will select a maximum of 20 participants to take part in the Foundation course.
Jerwood Opera Writing Programme
‘Every moment of those precious rehearsal hours was instructive. There is no substitute for actually writing and rehearsing an opera.’ – Marcy Kahan
‘It was a remarkable experience and I think every participant came to realise how unique, exciting and special the Jerwood Opera Writing Programme is. I will definitely write opera in the future.’ – Jack Underwood