Posted on
Jun 22

The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition 2023

The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

This opportunity has expired

Expires on:
July 31, 2022

This opportunity has expired and is no longer available

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The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition 2023

The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

Posted on
Jun 22

About

The competition is designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers, and is sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera National Council, including members and hundreds of volunteers from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Some of today’s greatest singers got their start in the auditions, including Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Stephanie Blythe, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, Lisette Oropesa, Jamie Barton, Michael Fabiano, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Ryan Speedo Green, and Nadine Sierra.

In recognition of a generous gift from the Laffont family, the Met’s nationwide vocal competition—known since its founding in 1954 as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—begins a new chapter as the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. Mrs. Laffont, an Advisory Director on the Met Board, has spent many hours volunteering with the auditions over the last 20 years, and she and her late husband, Eric, have long been among the program’s most dedicated supporters.

Requirements

Presione aquí para ver los requisitos de elegibilidad en español

DEADLINE: Application will close on Sunday July 31st 2022 at 11:59pm ET

Applicants may apply to the Competition once per season and are required to submit 1-2 pre-recorded videos for the Qualifying round. Videos must be taken in the 2022 calendar year and cannot be edited for sound or video enhancement. No pianist will be provided for the prerecorded qualifying round. Videos may have live, pre-recorded, digital or app-based piano tracks. Orchestral or instrumental accompaniment tracks or performances will NOT be accepted.

Qualifying videos are reviewed by Met Artistic Staff and evaluated as a whole, not by the singer's hometown or current residence.

Recipients of any judge-awarded prizes (Encouragement or Winners) at the District or Region levels of the 2021- 2022 Competition are automatically qualified for the 2022-2023 season, should they choose to enter. They will need to complete the application through Resonance but not submit new video recordings. These individuals will have their own priority registration day in advance of the additional singers that qualify for the 2022-2023 season

PARTICIPATION IN THE METROPOLITAN OPERA LAFFONT COMPETITION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING GOVERNING REGULATIONS:
1. The age requirement for all voice types for the 2022-2023 season is 20 – 30 years old. Applicants must be within this age limit from August 1, 2022 – July 31, 2023. Applicants’ birth dates must fall on or between August 1, 1992 – August 1, 2002 in order for them to be eligible to audition. This requirement is checked by the National Office during the application evaluation period. No age waiver will be granted for any reason.

2. Applicants must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in advance of their first live audition and abide by any updated covid regulations through the season. Applicants are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose in a two-dose vaccine series or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine. The Metropolitan Opera (“Met”) will need to see proof of vaccination with a vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or by the World Health Organization (WHO).

3. Past applicants may re-enter Qualifying auditions as new applicants. Applicants who have exceeded the age limit, reached the Grand Finals Concert, or twice reached the National Semifinals are no longer eligible to compete. Current or former singers on the Met’s roster, and current season members of the Met’s Chorus, Extra Chorus or current full-time employees of the Met are ineligible to audition.

4. Auditions are open to citizens and lawful residents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Citizens of countries other than the United States, Canada, and Mexico must show either proof of residency through April 24, 2023 or proof of full-time enrollment in a qualified educational institution, in one of these three countries before being permitted to enter a District audition. Applicants are solely responsible for securing visas to compete in all rounds of competition.

5. The Met may elect to hold any and all auditions and/or other aspects of the Competition by means of remote video auditions, including through the Kiswe platform. If the Met so elects, applicants agree to participate in such remote video auditions and agree to follow all instructions and requirements of the Competition with respect thereto.

6. Applicants may apply to the Competition once per season and are required to submit 1-2 pre-recorded videos for the Qualifying round. Videos must be taken in the 2022 calendar year and cannot be edited for sound or video enhancement. No pianist will be provided for the prerecorded qualifying round. Videos may have live, pre-recorded, digital or app-based piano tracks. Orchestral or instrumental accompaniment tracks or performances will NOT be accepted.

7. An official pianist will be provided at all live audition rounds. Applicants may provide their own pianist, if desired, at their own expense. Orchestral, instrumental, or self-played piano background tracks will not be accepted. If a District round is changed to a digital video round, an official pianist will be provided to record backing tracks.

8. Competition prizes are paid by check. Prize winners will be required to complete all necessary tax paperwork, in the Met’s sole discretion, in order to claim their prizes. The Met is required by Federal and New York State laws to withhold a total of 35% of prize money awarded to non-U.S. citizens. In most cases, prizes will not be available to contestants on the day of the competition.

9. A non-refundable application fee of $30.00 is required of applicants qualified to participate in the District round. All District winners must participate in the Region Finals of the Region in which they were District winners. If applicants choose not to participate in the applicable Region Finals, they may be asked to return all District audition prize money

10. To be eligible to enter the Competition, you must be available EXCLUSIVELY to the Competition during the following times:

a) Your respective District and Region audition dates;

b) Friday, April 14, 2023 through the National Semifinals on Monday, April 17, 2023; and

c) Preparation for the Laffont Grand Finals Concert from Tuesday, April 18, 2023 through Sunday, April 23, 2023.

Participation in non-Competition related professional engagements or competitions is not permitted during the times specified in a), b) and c) above, unless approved IN ADVANCE in writing by the Competition’s Executive Director. Failure to receive advance approval for an unrelated engagement automatically DISQUALIFIES an applicant from the National Semifinals and Finals.

11. By participating in the Competition, applicants grant the Met and the Competition the absolute right and permission to take, record, use, edit, and reuse their photographs, physical likeness, voice, name and/or biographical information in connection with their participation in the Competition for use in any media, worldwide (including social media platforms), in perpetuity for any purpose whatsoever. Applicants have no right of approval or claim to compensation arising out of such use. In addition, applicants release The Met and its agents and employees from all claims, demands, losses, and liabilities whatsoever that applicants may have now or in the future in connection with any photograph and/or recording embodying some or all of their voice, name, or likeness, or their participation in the Competition or other events. Any of the audition rounds and other performances or appearances by applicants in connection with the Competition, concerts, or other events may be exploited by the Competition and the Met by any means and media throughout the world in perpetuity, including by streaming, radio (including satellite radio), and all other means of audio and audiovisual distribution now or hereafter known, and may be used by the Competition, Met and Toll Brothers (and other sponsors) for promotional, fundraising and advertising purposes. Without limitation, the Laffont Grand Finals Concert may be broadcast over Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network or Sirius Satellite Radio. Applicants do not receive any compensation for their participation in any recording of the Competition or concerts, or any exploitation of thereof as herein described, and by participating in the Competition, applicants waive any claims to any compensation. Applicants’ performance in any audio and audiovisual materials produced or created by the Competition will be a work for hire for the Met and the Competition and if for some reason same is not considered a work for hire, applicants assign to the Met and the Competition all rights therein throughout the world in perpetuity.

12. The Met may cancel, delay or otherwise modify any and all portions of the Competition in its sole discretion, including for reasons beyond its control such as epidemics, work stoppages, fires, war, government regulations, acts of terrorism, riots, rebellions, explosion, flood, storm, Acts of God and similar occurrences, and the Met shall not be liable for any such cancellation, delay or other modification.

13. Any misrepresentation on the application will be cause for disqualification without benefit of appeal. All disqualifications are in the Met’s sole and absolute discretion and will require that prize money be returned.

Application Information

We require the following materials to be uploaded:

Legal Proof of age (ie. birth certificate, passport, driver’s license)

One-page résumé

Headshot

1-2 arias recorded on video (must be recorded within three months of application date)

Citizens of countries other than the United States, Canada and Mexico:

Proof of residency or full-time educational visa

Qualified singers will be announced on September 1, 2022 and will then be required to pay an application fee of $30.

Deadline Details

Audition Information

Please submit 1-2 operatic arias for your qualifying audition.

No oratorio, musical theater or zarzuela are permitted.

Arias must be sung in the standard language and original key.

Payment Information

Award
:
$
100
-
$
20000
(
One-time
)

This season, the Laffont Competition District and Region awards will vary across locations . At the National level, Semifinalists receive $2,500, Finalists receive $10,000, and Grand Finals Winners are awarded $20,000.

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Application Details

Deadline:
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Fee: $
0

Opportunity Dates

Start Date:
Friday, July 1, 2022
End Date:
Sunday, April 23, 2023

Qualifying submissions accepted | July 1-31, 2022

1 or 2 pre-recorded arias

Qualifying results announced | September 1, 2022

District auditions | October 2022 - January 2023

Virtual and live auditions

Region auditions | February 2023 - March 2023

Live auditions

National Semifinals | April 17, 2023 &

Laffont Grand Finals Concert | April 23, 2023

Live auditions at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City

Location Details

Virtual & Live

This year's competition will be in-person. Specific District and Region audition dates and protocols are forthcoming. Qualified singers will choose their desired District audition after September 1, after reviewing all of the available options.

Contact Email Address

[email protected]

Contact Phone Number

Contact Details

Melissa Wegner, Executive Director

Presented by

The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

Tickets

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New York Day 2

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New York Day 1

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