About the contest
The Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) is launching the Concurso Internacional de Canto Teatro Colón with the mission to promote the most talented young opera singers of today and to generate opportunities to foster their promising careers.
Bearing this objective in mind, the Institute has assembled a panel of international jurors, all of which represent the world of Opera in its most significant levels: institutional, artistic and academic. Among these prestigious figures are Kiri Te Kanawa, Sumi Jo, Sherrill Milnes, Lenore Rosenberg, Nicholas Sears, Renaud Loranger, and Pedro Pablo García Caffi.
Preliminary Round Auditions will continue the example of such world-wide initiative, assessing all young competitors at some of the most prestigious stages in the world. Starting from the New York Metropolitan Opera in May 2012, the competition continues its search for talent in momentous Opera houses such as The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina, among others.
During May and June 2012, female singers up to 32 years old and male singers up to 34 years old will audition in hopes of becoming one of the 20 to 24 selected singers that will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the Semifinal Round, where they will be heard by renowned professionals and singers whilst they compete for the opportunity of winning one of the four monetary prizes, as well as possible future engagements in some of the most prestigious Opera Theatres in South America. In addition, some competitors will be able to participate in unique singing Master Classes.”
ABOUT ISA
The Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón (ISA) was created in 1960 to train the most prominent students with the highest caliber of artistic education so that they may became world-class opera singers, musicians and dancers, such as the ones the Teatro Colón requires for its performances.. It promotes excellence and academic freedom in the following degrees: Dance, Operatic Singing, Scenery Direction in Opera, Orchestral Academics, Musical Preparation of Opera and Characterization. Aside from its academic programs, ISA offers complementary master classes dictated by renowned international artists to complement the education of its students.
Artists such as Julio Bocca, Paloma Herrera, Maximiliano Guerra, Iñaqui Urlezaga, Soledad de la Rosa, Víctor Torres, Virginia Tola, Willy Landin and Betty Gambartes have studied at ISA. Our talented alumni participate in some of the most prestigious artistic institutions in the world, such as the American Ballet Theatre, Royal Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Opera Bastilla, Staatsoper de Berlin, Teatro dell’Opera de Roma, Washington National Opera and the Teatro Real de Madrid, among others.
In 2010, the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón celebrated its 50th anniversary, starting a gradual restructuring process with the objective of expanding the range of activities the Institute currently engages in. The Teatro Colón International Singing Competition belongs to this new set of projects and initiatives ISA is now developing.
On the one hand, the Institute is committed to extending art to the local community as well as developing activities that promote the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of music and dance. Projects that express such an initiative are Mi Primer Concierto and Mi Primer Ballet. Both projects are catered to elementary schools in the city of Buenos Aires, in order to present symphonic music and ballet to children. ISA also develops national programs, such as Del Colón para el País, with the aim of discovering new talents and enriching music learning and teaching in institutions around the country.
On the other hand, on an international level, the Institute currently directs its efforts towards consolidating bonds with different educational organisms outside of Argentina, actively seeking permanent institutional relationships, inter-institutional dialogue, academic exchanges, and collaborative projects. Examples of such educational institutions are Julliard, Manhattan School of Music, New World Symphony and the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía.
