2 x new music theatre / opera commissions, Northern Opera Group

Northern Opera Group are pleased to announce a call-out for composers, lyricists and songwriters, for two new music theatre commissions – each taking a new approach in response to opera’s past.

They’re looking for artists who are interested in telling a story through music and words (the essence of what opera is!). The exact form the commission takes is up to you.

They’re looking for short (around 5 minute) music theatre pieces, with no more than 4 musicians, which will be recorded for online broadcast, and performed live in 2021. They welcome artists from different musical backgrounds, and will accept applications from existing songwriting teams, or individual composers, lyricists and songwriters.

The commissions available are in response to

1) The Leeds Opera Story – our heritage project exploring the 300 year history of opera in Leeds. They're looking for artists to respond to this heritage, drawing a connection between the art form’s, and the city’s, past and present (and maybe future!).

They are prioritising applicants from, or with a strong connection to, Leeds for this commission

2) Savriti (1916, words and music by Gustav Holst) – this short, three person opera is based on the episode of Savitri and Satyavan from the Mahābhārata, and will be performed at our 2021 Leeds Opera Festival. They’re looking for artists to respond to this opera, which may be a retelling of the original story, a contemporary monologue based on its themes, or a response to Holst’s interpretation of Indian classical music.

They are prioritising applicants from a South Asian background for this commission

To find out more information please visit http://www.northernoperagroup.co.uk/commission-brief-2020/

Please send submissions, or feel free to ask any questions, to David Ward (Artistic Director) – david@northernoperagroup.co.uk

The fee for composers is £1,250, and for librettists is £310.

The deadline is noon on 31 October 2020, with the commissions expected to be completed between 15 November and 15 December 2020.