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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Kings Head Theatre: FLOURISH - the new opera competition



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Now in its third year, Flourish is a new opera competition, launched by Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose in association with Eclectic Opera.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: SUNDAY 17 AUGUST 2014

The competition aims to provide a platform for emerging and established composers and librettists, and to raise awareness of the wealth of contemporary opera being written.

A panel of industry judges choose a winner from five short-listed operas at a showcase performance. The team behind the winning opera then have a year to develop the piece, culminating in a full-length production, produced by OperaUpClose for a seven-performance season over four weeks in autumn the following year.

Submissions are now open for the 2014 competition. Composers and librettists are invited to submit up to 20 minutes worth of material of a new opera for up to seven performers (both musicians and singers are included in this seven). The deadline for submissions is midnight on Sunday 17 August 2014. For more information, please read the Information Sheet carefully, which you can download from the link below.

Click here to download the Information Sheet

Click here to download the Application Form

Submissions can be sent via email to flourish@kingsheadtheatre.com or via post to:


Up to five pieces will be shortlisted for a live showcase on Sunday 21 September 2014 where a winner will be selected. You can book tickets for the showcase here.

The winning piece of the 2013 competition is The Blank Canvas composed by Spyros Syrmos, with a libretto by Fay Wrixon, which will be produced by OperaUpClose in autumn 2014. You can book tickets for the production here.

The winner of the 2012 competition was Two Caravans, composed by Guy Harries with a libretto by Ace McCarron, based on the novel by Marina Lewycka.
For further information please email flourish@kingsheadtheatre.com or call 020 7226 8561

OperaUpClose is known for work that is large in ambition and small in scale, and the parameters of Flourish reflect this. Composers and librettists are invited to write a piece for up to seven performers (divided between singers and instrumentalists as they wish). The winning opera will be provided with a budget for these six performers, a director, designers, stage management and marketing, in accordance with OperaUpClose and the King's Head Theatre's in-house Equity Agreement. OperaUpClose will also provide a producer and extensive creative support for the project.

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