57° International Competition Voci Verdiane Città di Busseto

Busseto, 18 to 23 June 2019 – Entries via email no later than 18 April

The Comune di Busseto announces the 57th International Verdian Voices Competition Città di Busseto, produced under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, in honour and memory of Carlo Bergonzi, and overseen by Giancarlo Contini, Mayor of Busseto, as organised by the Teatro Regio di Parma. The competition is open to all singers aged 18 to 35, and will take place in Busseto 18 – 23 June 2019. Entries must be sent exclusively via email within, and no later than 18 April 2019 to: vociverdiane@teatroregioparma.it.

The Competition assigns the following prizes: 1st prize ‘Carlo Bergonzi’ of €5,000 offered by Chengdu LeMeiSiBo Culture Communication Co. (China); 2nd prize of €3,000 offered by the Lions Club Busseto ‘Giuseppe Verdi’; 3rd Prize of €1,500. The best female voice will be further awarded the special Verdissime.com prize of €1,000, offered by the Verdissime.com Association. The winners, finalists, and semi-finalists, may be further entrusted with the roles of: Aida, Radamès, Amonasro, Amneris, Ramfis, The King of Egypt, A messenger, and the High Priestess from the opera: Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, to be performed during Festival Verdi 2019 at the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Busseto. The same performance will be repeated in the theatres of the Circuito Lirico OperaLombardia, with the director potentially entrusting some roles, at his discretion, to the Finalists and Winners of the competition.

Led by the General Director of Teatro Regio of Parma, Anna Maria Meo, the Judging Panel will consist of renowned figures from the music world, including the directors and managers of the some of the most prestigious opera houses and international musical institutions. A member of the Lions Club Busseto ‘Giuseppe Verdi’ may be added to the Judging Panel in the final phase.

The Competition winners will be announced Saturday 22 June 2019 at the end of the public finalists concert, accompanied by the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini directed by Fabrizio Cassi, programmed for 9pm in the Cortile di Villa Pallavicino in Busseto. All prize winners will take a leading role in a Verdian recital on Sunday 23 June 2019 at 9.00pm, accompanied by Maestro Milo Martani, close to the birthplace of the Maestro in Roncole Verdi, and in the concert organised by the Le Terre Traverse association on Saturday 29 June 2019 at 9.00pm at the Podere Castello in Cadeo (PC). For information regarding prices and ticket sale dates, please contact: biglietteria@teatroregioparma.it.

The complete competition rules and application forms are available online. For further information: Administrative Office of the 57th International Verdian Voices Competition – Tel. 0521 203955 – vociverdiane@teatroregioparma.it – www.teatroregioparma.it – www.vociverdiane.com

The 57th International Competition Voci Verdiane Città di Busseto is produced with the support of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Provincia di Parma, Chengdu LeMeiSiBo Culture Communication Co. (China), Lions Club Busseto ‘Giuseppe Verdi’, verdissime.com, and Fondazione Cariparma.

The image associated with the International Verdian Voices Competition is a detail of the bronze monument of Giuseppe Verdi, a work by sculptor Luigi Secchi, revealed in 1913 in the central square of Busseto entitled To the Maestro.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Dates

19 April-10 May 2019	Selection of the candidates based on the recordings
18, 19 June 2019	Elimination round and announcement of the semi-finalists
20 June 2019	Semi-final phase and announcement of the finalists
21 June 2019	Finalists’ rehearsals with orchestra