PRESS RELEASE
SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR GENESIS OPERA PROJECT 2

Six Projects to be developed for Workshops in March 2004

The Genesis Foundation today announced the Genesis Opera Projects that have been chosen for development and workshops in London in March. The advisory panel, working from an initial field of 200 applications from 37 countries, have selected:

• "Push!" by David Bruce (composer) and Anna Reynolds (writer), British
• Hippocampus or Lonely by Slavomi­r Solovic (composer) and Viliam Klimácek (writer), Slovakian
• Sante and Augustine by Emily Hall (composer) and Kit Peel (writer), British
• The Original Chinese Conjuror by Raymond Yiu (composer), and Lee Warren (writer), Chinese/British
• The Tramway Conductor of Venice, Mario Wiegand (composer) and Marec Béla Steffens (writer), German
• The Umbrella by Elena Langer (composer) and Lavinia Greenlaw (writer), Russian/British

The composers range in age from 25 to 33.

The aim of the Genesis Opera Project, established in 2001, is to give young composers, writers and other artistic collaborators the experience of developing and writing a work for the lyric stage.

Through this process Genesis hopes to encourage new young talent; help develop concepts and approaches for the lyric theatre; and find ways of reaching and attracting new audiences. For this, the second Genesis Opera Project, the intention is for greater emphasis to be placed on the developmental and workshop stages so that the focus is on developing opera writing skills.

More time and energy will be devoted to the workshop process than previously. Members of the advisory panel will take responsibility for individual projects and will work closely with other professionals chosen for each project right through until the presentation of the full opera in 2005.

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, commented about the ongoing development of the Genesis processes. "From the first Genesis Opera Project we have realised that because opera composers and writers have next to no opportunities to learn the craft we need to work with them more closely to develop their skills in this genre. The objective is to equip the opera composers and librettists of tomorrow so that opera remains a compelling medium for the 21st century and for a much wider and younger audience. Genesis hopes to contribute to finding contemporary approaches, not only to discovering new talent but also to finding a new and up-to-date voice for the genre."

The selection panel consisted of John Studzinski, Chairman of the Genesis Foundation; Giorgio Battistelli and David Sawer, Composers; Jonathan Reekie, Chief Executive of Aldeburgh Productions; David Lan, Artistic Director, Young Vic Theatre Company, Playwright and Librettist; Genista McIntosh, former Executive Director, Royal National Theatre; Michael Morris, Director, Cultural Industry & Co-director, Artangel; David Parry, Conductor; and David Pountney, Director/Librettist.

For further information please contact: pressgenesisfoundation [dot] org [dot] uk