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

 SUBMISSIONS FOR FLOURISH 2013 ARE NOW OPEN

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2013

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 chose a winner from six 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 at the King's Head Theatre for a seven-performance season over four weeks in autumn the following year.

The winning piece in 2012 was Two Caravans, composed by Guy Harries with a libretto by Ace McCarron, based on the novel by Marina Lewycka. Two Caravans is a tragi-comic on-the-road action adventure about migrant strawberry pickers in the UK. Two Caravans is currently in development, and will be produced by OperaUpClose at the King's Head Theatre for a seven-performance season over four weeks in September and October 2013.

HOW TO ENTER:

Click here to download the information sheet for applicants

Click here to download the application form

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 six 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.