Genesis Opera Project 1

A TV reporter is interviewing a young girl who is collecting signatures from commuters. The reporter also talks to a city councillor who highhandedly declares the authority's determination to cut down the cherry trees. The young girl and the councillor argue.

A clearing in a blasted wasteland. A mysterious prophet, Thwaite, and his six disparate followers arrive and build an improvised hut from available detritus. They forage for food and have a meal. The following day, after settling down to theological discussion, Blane (a mischievous interloper) provokes a debate about which of them is in fact this shadowy Thwaite whom they have never met.

Each of the finalists were asked to give a presentation of their opera to the judges. This section gives a flavour of these presentations, with a synopsis for each opera and biographies of the talented people behind them.

Sound excerpts exist on the site for each of these works. Go to the individual article for each piece to access them:

Whatever Happened to Zora D...? - Presentation
Whatever Happened to Zora D...? - Biographies

The Genesis Foundation first heard the work of young Serbian composer, Isidora Žebeljan, when she applied for the first ever Genesis Opera Project in 2001. Impressed by her talent and her highly original voice, Genesis included her opera among the projects that were commissioned in part for the GOP1 workshops in London in 2002. A segment from an early version of her opera, Zora D, was developed at that time and given a presentation. Representatives of the chamber operas in both Amsterdam and Vienna were so impressed by this work that they chose to do a joint staging of it.

Libretto by Isidora Žebeljan, based on an original idea by Dusan Ristic. German translation by Wolfgang Willaschek.

Short Summary by David Pountney

The work is a highly atmospheric examination of the emotional legacy of a tragedy which took place 60 years before.

A short-listed opera that began as workshops in the very first Genesis Opera Project has now reached completion. Non Guardate was performed to great public interest and acclaim in Milan on 8 April 2008. It was also broadcast on RAI throughout Italy.

Advisory Panel

Giorgio Battistelli, Composer

Born in Rome, Giorgio Battistelli studied piano, composition, analysis and history of music at the conservatory "A. Casella" in Aquila. In 1974 he co-founded the Edgar Varèse Musical Experimentation and Research Group and the Beat 72 instrumental group in Rome.

A major international chamber opera competition for young composers and librettists

Genesis Foundation today announced the inaugural Genesis Prizes for Opera and with them, a major investment in modern chamber opera which will not only finance the writing of new music theatre repertoire but will also ensure their production.

9 YOUNG COMPOSER/LIBRETTIST TEAMS COMPETING TO HAVE THEIR WORK STAGED AT ALMEIDA OPERA

The first ever Genesis Prizes for Opera has identified three opera projects to commission immediately for full production by Almeida Opera in July 2003 and also at Aldeburgh. These were chosen by the advisory panel following presentations of work-in-progress of the nine shortlisted projects on 11 and 12 April 2002 at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells, London.

A fourth project has been singled out for special commendation; and the Genesis Foundation, which funds the entire process, is also committed to its further development and production at a later date.