Finals Concert

Sunday, March 17, 3:00 PM

Hamblin Hall

Community School of Music and Arts

​

Pay what you can admission for the audience, with a suggest donation of $25.

 

Opera Ithaca announces the eighth annual Edward M. Murray International Competition of Voice to recognize outstanding emerging singers in the operatic field as well as pay homage to the lifetime achievement of the late Maestro Edward M. Murray who served twenty-five years as the director of the Cornell Symphony Orchestra and over twenty years as the music director of the former Ithaca Opera Association. The Finals Concert will be live on Sunday, March 17 at 3:00 PM, following a rehearsal on March 16. The winners will be announced at the end of the concert.

 

The panel will consist of three judges, including Opera Ithaca Artistic Director, Ben Robinson, President and Founder of Athlone Artists, Miguel Rodriguez, and Opera Saratoga General Director, Mary Birnbaum. The audience will also select their favorite singer.

 

Prizes

• First Place: $500

• Second Place: $300

• Third Place: $200

• Audience Favorite: $250

​

All 8 finalists will receive a $100 base participation fee.

​

Opera Ithaca frequently offers artists that enter the competition roles or placement in the Apprentice Artist Program. 

 

Eligibility

• Open to singers of all ages and nationalities, pending ability to get a work visa in the USA. Singers who have sung roles with Opera Ithaca previously or who have obtained contracts for future work with Opera Ithaca are still welcome to apply. All prize winners will be required to fill out a W9 form. Finalists must be willing to participate in person for both the rehearsal (6-8 PM on Saturday, March 16) and the Finals Concert (3 PM on Sunday, March 17).

 

Application Instructions

• The deadline for submission is Friday, February 9, 2024. Eight finalists will be notified on or before Monday, February 19, 2024. Those singers invited to participate in finals will select their first aria to sing on the program. The Opera Ithaca staff will select the second aria. 

​​

• (1) Begin by filling out the application form below. Submit your contact information, voice part, links to three video samples that showcase your operatic singing, headshot, and a resume. (2) Pay the application fee of $25 through the button below the form. The application fee links you to our support page. Select "donate" and enter $25. Applications will not be considered unless the non-refundable fee is paid. If your email address used for the payment is different than the email address on the application, please notify us at info@operaithaca.org so that we can match your payment to your application. Your resume is for internal reference only and will not factor into your eligibility for the competition. Please note videos must be from the last 6 months in order to be considered relevant. Videos may not be spliced or edited for continuity. 

 

• Link videos of three arias with piano that showcase your operatic singing by uploading the files to a video streaming service (YouTube or Vimeo, for example - make sure the links are accessible). Please note videos must be from the last 6 months in order to be considered relevant.

 

• Repertoire for the preliminary round: three video selections showcasing operatic arias with piano dating from the last 6 months. To keep the playing field level, the arias need to be accompanied ONLY by piano (no excerpts with orchestra or instruments will be accepted). Videos may not be spliced or edited for continuity. Musical theatre or compilation videos are ineligible and will not be considered. If you have any questions about the qualifications of your repertoire, please contact us at info@operaithaca.org. The Opera Ithaca staff will review the submissions and determine the finalists. 

 

• Repertoire requirements for Finals Concert: finalists are required to submit a list of five contrasting arias (no musical theatre, please). The singer will select the first aria that will be presented and the Opera Ithaca staff will select the second aria. You will be notified about the choice of the second aria prior to arriving for the rehearsal. A pianist will be provided at no cost. Opera Ithaca will not provide transportation or housing for finalists, but all finalists will receive a base compensation of $100.

​

• Audience Favorite Award: the audience watching the finals concert will be able to vote on the their favorite artist. The vote will be tallied in real time and revealed during the announcement of the winners at the conclusion of the finals concert. 

​

• The application fee of $25 must be paid online, via the "Pay Competition Fee" button. This fee is non-refundable.​

​

Application Deadline: February 9, 2024

Finalists Notified by: February 19, 2024

Dress Rehearsal for Finals Concert: March 16, 2024

Finals Concert: March 17, 2024

​

We hate application fees. While we wish could eliminate the fee to enter this competition, we need the funds to run and staff the event, provide a pianist, and supply the prize money. Thank you for your understanding!