Regulations of Tullio Serafin Competition
ARTICLE 1: ORGANIZATION
Tullio Serafin Competition is organized by Concetto Armonico APS in collaboration with Archivio Storico Tullio Serafin. Sponsors and supporters can be found on the competition website www.concorsoliricotullioserafin.it, section “Patronage and Supporters”.
ARTICLE 2: OPERA IN COMPETITION, NATIONALITY, AGE LIMITS AND ROLES
The Opera in competition in 2025 is “Le nozze di Figaro” by W. A. Mozart
Competitors of all nationalities may participate in Tullio Serafin Competition.
The age limit for the Competition is set at 34 years for all vocalities.
Competitors may enroll for more than one role (maximum 2), but must present all the arias for each role listed in article n. 4. The jury reserves the right to listen to only part of the programme.
The roles in Competition are:
- Il Conte di Almaviva
- La Contessa di Almaviva
- Susanna, promessa sposa di Figaro
- Figaro
- Cherubino, paggio del Conte
- Marcellina
- Bartolo, medico di Siviglia
- Basilio, maestro di musica*
- Don Curzio, giudice*
- Barbarina, figlia di Antonio
*Both roles of Bartolo and Don Curzio will be performed by one singer only. Competitiors for one of these two roles are enrolled for both.
ARTICLE 3: ROUNDS OF THE COMPETITION, DATES, PLACES AND REPERTOIRE
For the eliminatory rounds, competitors may choose their audition venue from those listed below, taking care, before finalising their registration, if there are places available in the “availability” section of the website concorsoliricotullioserafin.it
Competitors may not choose the elimination day if more than one elimination date is scheduled in the same theatre.
PRELIMINARY ROUND:
- April 6, 2025 TEATRO FILARMONICO IN VERONA (max 30 competitors)
- April 7, 2025 TEATRO DELL’OPERA IN ROME (max 30 competitiors)
- April 9 and 10, 2025 TEATRO OLIMPICO IN VICENZA (max 60 conpetitors)
- April 14, 2025 ISTANBUL STATE OPERA AND BALLET (max 30 competitiors)
- April 28, 2025 TEATRO CARLO FELICE IN GENOVA (max 30 competitors) – deadline for registrations is April 17
- May 6, 2025 TEATRO REAL IN MADRID (max 30 competitors) – deadline for registrations is April 17
- May 12, 2025 TEATRO ALLA SCALA (max 30 competitors) – deadline for registrations is April 17
Repertoire to be presented for the eliminatory rounds
In addition to the compulsory arias listed in article 4, competitors must perform from memory an opera aria (chamber music or sacred music will not be accepted) of their choice in the original language, including recitative and cabaletta where applicable. The eliminatory rounds will not be open to the public. Competitors shall present themselves at the eliminatory rounds with a copy of the aria to be performed of their choice to be used by the pianist.
SEMI-FINALS AND FINALS:
- June 22, 2025, 5 pm at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza – SEMI-FINALS
- June 23, 2025, 8 pm at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza – FINALS
For the semi-finals and the finals, competitors will present the entire role of the opera in competition from memory including recitatives, duets and ensemble parts.
The finals will be open to the public. The President may interrupt the audition at any time after consulting the Jury.
At the discretion of the Jury, if necessary, the competitor will be required to repeat pieces already performed. All stages of the competition will be performed with piano accompaniment.
ARTICLE 4: COMPULSORY ARIAS FOR EACH ROLE TO BE PRESENTED AT THE PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
Please pay attention that arias must be performed with respective recitatives where applicable, even when other roles are present.
IL CONTE DI ALMAVIVA
- Recitative act I – Scene VI: “Susanna, tu mi sembri agitata…” until “ah per questo favore io pagherei…”
- Atto III – Scene IV: “Hai già vinta la causa!…Vedrò mentre io sospiro”
- Another aria from one of Mozart’s operas with recitative (to be indicated on the enrollment form)
LA CONTESSA DI ALMAVIVA
- Act II – Scene I: “Porgi amor qualche ristoro”
- Act III – Scene VIII: “E Susanna non vien!…Dove sono i bei momenti”
SUSANNA
- Act II – Scene II: “Venite inginocchiatevi”
- Act IV – Scene IX: “Giunse alfin il momento…Deh vieni non tardar”
FIGARO
- Act I – Scene II: “Bravo signor padrone!…se vuol ballare signor Contino”
- Scene VIII: “Ehi capitano a me pure la mano…non più andrai farfallone amoroso”
- Act IV – Scene VIII: “Tutto è disposto…aprite un po’ quegl’occhi”
CHERUBINO
- Act I – Scene V: “Ah che troppo rispetto ella m’ispira…non so più cosa sono cosa faccio”
- Act II – Scene II: “Io sono si tremante…voi che sapete”
MARCELLINA
- Act IV – Scene I: “Presto avvertiam Susanna…il capro e la capretta”
- Another aria chosen from one of Mozart’s operas with recitative (to be indicated on the enrollment form)
BARTOLO
- Act I – Scene III: “Bene, io tutto farò…La vendetta è un piacer serbato ai saggi”
- Another aria chosen from one of Mozart’s operas with recitative (to be indicated on the enrollment form)
BASILIO – DON CURZIO
- Recitative Act I – Scene VII: “Susanna, il ciel vi salvi” fino alla fine
- Act IV – Scene VIII: “Ha i diavoli nel corpo. Ma cosa nacque?…In quegl’anni, in cui val poco”
- Another aria chosen from one of Mozart’s operas with recitative (to be indicated on the enrollment form)
BARBARINA
- Recitative: Act III – Scene XI: “Queste sono madama…” fino alla fine
- Act IV – scene I: “L’ho perduta…me meschina”
- Another aria chosen from one of Mozart’s operas with recitative (to be indicated on the enrollment form)
ARTICLE 5: DOCUMENTS TO BE SENT
To enroll, candidates must complete the online entry form accompanied by the following documents:
- copy of an identity document (ID card or passport valid on 24 June 2024);
- a recent high-definition colour photo;
- short curriculum vitae (maximum 1.500 characters in no more than one page) – CVs that do not respect these characteristics will not be read
- indicate a continuous teaching relationship in the two years previous to the competition with a member of the Jury. Participation in a Masterclass does not fall within this relationship
- copy of the payment receipt of the registration fee.
Competitors who need to obtain a visa for their stay in Italy must write to the competition secretariat at info@concorsoliricotullioserafin.it in order to obtain a letter of invitation to complete the bureaucratic procedures.
In the event of non-participation in the competition, the organizers are not obliged, in any case, to reimburse the registration fee.
ARTICLE 6: PAYMENT OF FEES AND BANK DETAILS
For the registration the competitor will pay a fee of € 90,00 (ninety/00). The fee will be paid by bank transfer to:
Concetto Armonico APS
BANCA DEL VENETO CENTRALE – Vicenza
IBAN: IT60O0859011800000081026140 – BIC/SWIFT: CCRTIT2TBCV
Subject: NAME AND SURNAME (of the competitor) registration Tullio Serafin Competition 2025
ARTICLE 7: DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION
The application form, accompanied by all the documents required in article n. 5, must reach the association Concetto Armonico APS no later than 12 a.m. Monday 17 March 2025 via the website: www.concorsoliricotullioserafin.it
Applications received after this deadline, or incomplete in documents, will not be considered.
The registration fee will not be refunded if the competitor cancels his/her participation in the competition. The fee will only be refunded in cases provided for in Article 21 of these regulations.
ARTICLE 8: CONVOCATION
Each competitor will be sent an e-mail (not before 21 march 2025) with the time of the convocation for the eliminatory round and the rehearsal time with the pianist (if requested in the registration form).
Changes of time or date as indicated by the organization of the Competition will not be allowed.
If the competitor fails to attend any required rehearsal with the pianist, the rehearsal cannot be rescheduled. Any competitor who fails to attend any of the stages of the Competition will be excluded from the same and may not claim any refund of the registration fee paid.
ARTICLE 9: ADMISSION TO THE SEMI-FINALS AND FINALS
The names of the contestants admitted to the semi-finals will be communicated by email after the Jury’s work is completed no later than 16 May 2025. No information will be given over the phone.
The names of the contestants admitted to the finals will be communicated on the competition Facebook page and internet site, by phone call and email at the end of the Jury’s work before 11 pm, 22 June 2025.
ARTICLE 10: WINNERS
Winners will take part to the Opera Studio in Vicenza,
- From 2 to 5 July 2025 with soprano Barbara Frittoli, the conductor and with the possible presence of the stage director.
- From 19 August to 15 Septembre 2024 (last performance).
The Opera Studio will be held by Maestros (voice teacher, director, conductor), in view of the performance of the opera at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza on 13 and 14 September 2025.
Other performances of the opera, even in concert form, are not excluded.
ARTICLE 11: JURY FOR THE PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
TEATRO FILARMONICO IN VERONA
- An artistic representative from the theatre
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
TEATRO DELL’OPERA IN ROME
- Alessandro Di Gloria, casting manager of Teatro dell’Opera in Rome
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
TEATRO OLIMPICO IN VICENZA
- Federico Faggion, artistic director of Teatro Verdi in Padova
- Stefano Canazza, artistic director of Teatro Del Monaco in Treviso
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
ISTANBUL STATE OPERA AND BALLET
- Caner Akgün, artistic director of Istanbul State Opera and Ballet
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
TEATRO CARLO FELICE IN GENOVA
- Claudio Orazi, Superintendat of Teatro Carlo Felice
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
TEATRO REAL IN MADRID
- An artistic representative from the theatre
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
TEATRO ALLA SCALA
- Daniele Borniquez, Head of the Music Department of Accademia Teatro alla Scala
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
ARTICLE 12: JURY AND PRESIDENT OF THE JURY FOR THE SEMI-FINLAS AND FINALS
President of the Jury is Claudio Orazi, Superintendent of Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova.
The Jury for the finals will be composed by
- Cristina Ferrari, director and artistic director of Fondazione Teatri di Piacenza
- Alessandro Di Gloria, casting manager of Teatro dell’Opera in Rome
- Caner Akgün, artistic director of Istanbul State Opera and Ballet
- Stefano Canazza, artistic director of Teatro Mario Del Monaco in Treviso
- Federico Faggion, artistic director of Teatro Verdi in Padova
- Alessandro Vitiello, conductor
- Barbara Frittoli, soprano
- Andrea Castello, artistic director of “Vicenza in Lirica” festival
Other names will be promptly communicated.
There will be a CRITICS JURY. The names of the jurors will be communicated at the end of the preliminary rounds and published on the competition website.
ARTICLE 13: VOTING
The Jury will take its decisions in secret session by a majority of votes. In the event of a tie, the President’s vote shall prevail. The Jury may decide not to award roles in competition if there are no suitable candidates. The Jury’s verdict is final and irrevocable.
ARTICLE 14: CONTRACT FOR WINNERS OF THE COMPETITION
When registering for the Competition, candidates undertake, in the event of winning the role and after due reading, to sign a contract for the Opera Studio and all subsequent performances in the theatre as indicated in Article 10. Should the winners of the Competition fail to fulfil their contractual obligations after signing the contract, they will be required to pay a penalty equal to the fee set out in Article 15.
The artistic direction of Vicenza in Lirica Festival will not make any arrangements with any representative of agencies or press offices of the competitors who will be awarded the role.
ARTICLE 15: PRIZES FOR WINNERS OF THE ROLES IN COMPETITION
The first part of the Opera Studio scheduled for July will be free and will end with a final concert. The artist will have to provide for travel, food and accommodation. The artist will receive a gross compensation equal to € 200.00 (two hundred/00) before tax and social security withholdings for the final concert.
After the performances at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, a gross compensation of € 1.200,00 (one thousand and two hundred/00) will be paid for each performance for the roles of Il Conte di Almaviva, La Contessa di Almaviva, Susanna, Figaro; a gross compensation of € 1.000.00 (one thousand/00) for each performance for the roles of Cherubino and Basilio/Don Curzio; a gross compensation of
€ 900,00 (nine hundred/00) for each performance for the roles of Marcellina, Bartolo and Barbarina.
The protagonists, or some of the protagonists of the opera, shall moreover perform in other concerts. For each concert, a fee will be established.
The winner who cannot accept the contract after being awarded the prize because engaged in other productions during the dates reported in this announcement (art. 10) cannot be defined as “Winner of the Tullio Serafin Opera Competition”. The prize will be awarded by the artistic direction to the first singer in the ranking present in the final commission report and called “cover”.
ARTICLE 16: OTHER PRIZES
- Critics‘ Award of gross € 300,00 (three hundred/00) named after “Lukas Franceschini “ offered by Università Popolare di Cavarzere.
- Public prize of gross € 300,00 (three hundred/00) named after “Francesco Pacchiega” offered by Mrs Valeria Rubini.
Other prizes may be announced on the internet site of the Competition in the section “Premi”. The prizes are gross of tax and social security withholdings.
ARTICLE 17: CERTIFICATE
All finalists will receive a certificate of participation in the competition.
ARTICLE 18: LIABILITY
Organizers of the Competition accept no responsibility for any damage caused to property or persons during the course of the Competition.
ARTICLE 19: VALIDITY OF THE REGULATIONS
Participation in the Competition implies unconditional acceptance of these regulations without reservation. The Italian version of the present regulations concerning Tullio Serafin Competition applies. Legal action is excluded.
ARTICLE 20: FILMING OF IMAGES, AUDIO AND VIDEO
By registering, the participant in Tullio Serafin Competition gives his/her consent to audio and video recordings and to the filming of images made by Concetto Armonico APS and Archivio storico Tullio Serafin and/or by persons or institutions appointed by them during all stages of the competition, during rehearsals, the performances of the opera in competition and subsequent concerts.
The participant cedes to the organisation all image, audio and video footage rights as indicated above for any use without time or territorial limits through any means now known or of the future invention (e.g. TV broadcasts, internet, public screenings, optical, magnetic, computer, paper, etc.).
ARTICLE 21: POSTPONEMENT, CANCELLATION AND REFUND OF REGISTRATION FEE
Should the Competition be cancelled due to force majeure or for organisational reasons of the Concetto Armonico APS, the full registration fee will be refunded to the competitor by bank transfer.
Should the competitor have to cancel his/her participation due to illness, he/she will receive a refund of the registration fee, upon presentation of the MANDATORY certificate stating the reason and issued by the competent health authorities.
ARTICLE 22: AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS
The organization of the competition reserves the right to make changes to these regulations should this prove necessary and these changes are always notified at the bottom of the competition regulations.
ARTICLE 23: ACCOMPANISTS AND PERSONAL PIANISTS
Accompanists are not allowed on theatre premises. Personal pianists are not permitted on any stage of the competition.
Vicenza, January, 25 2025
Regulations published on the competition website concorsoliricotullioserafin.it and deposited at the headquarters of Concetto Armonico APS, Via G. E. di Velo, n. 133, Vicenza (VI).
Latest amendments:
03/12/2025: Articles n. 11 and 12 were amended
02/21/25 Articles n. 11 and 12 were amended
01/29/25 Articles n. 3 and 16 were amended, also the front cover
02/07/25 Articles n. 3, 9 and 12 were amended