For a composer unknown to the public it might be rather difficult to find a theatre ready to produce an operatic work. Since 2013, the opera composition competition advertised by Bartók Plus Opera Festival has offered the opportunity for the musical play by a starting and unknown composer to be performed on stage.
The competition called “Key to the Future” attracts attention to “popular operas” by living composers not yet presented in any form on stage. High quality, still unknown works that are expected to appeal to broad layers of the audience for the genre of contemporary opera.
The opera composition competition offering prizes for the finalists is open to compos-ers from all over the world to submit the score and libretto of their finished work not yet presented in a stage performance. Competition pieces are judged by an international jury consisting of reputed professionals ranging from conductors, music academy tutors to producers, directors and established composers. The best pieces are then presented in the Finals in a partly staged version with piano accompaniment. This way the finalist au-thors can become part of the production and get in touch with the performers, which will equally contribute to their future development. Because it is also part of a composer’s job to make the orchestra, the soloist or the conductor understand their concept and ideas, and this can only be learnt through practice.
The winning opera is then produced unabridged by Bartók Plus Opera Festival in a fully staged performance with orchestra during the festival next year
