A total of 113 artists from 27 countries took part in the auditions for a place in the 6th Opera (e)Studio. The tests ended yesterday, [Sunday 13] at Auditorio de Tenerife, after the sessions held in Bologna and Madrid. All the auditions were overseen by Opera (e)Studio director, Giulio Zappa. The last one was also attended by the Cabildo Director for Culture and Education, José Luis Rivero.

In all, 27 different nationalities from Europe, America, Asia and Oceania took part in the selection process. The countries with more representatives were Italy and Spain with 37 and 24 candidates, respectively; followed by Russia, with seven, and France and Japan, with six contestants each. Compared to the previous year, there were eleven new nationalities taking part: Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Guatemala, Latvia, Mexico, Peru, Sweden, Turkey and Venezuela.

In this year’s call, candidates could opt for more than one character. Out of the six roles available to choose from in The Italian in Algiers, entrants’ option was as follows: 48 chose to perform Elvira [soprano]; 24, Haly [bass, bass-baritone or baritone]; 19, Isabella [mezzosoprano or contralto]; 20, Taddeo [baritone, bass-baritone or bass]; 8 Mustafá [bass, bass-baritone] and 6 picked Lindoro [tenor].

The candidates chosen to take part in the 6th Opera (e)Studio will start their course in comprehensive artistic improvement in September on the Island, which will conclude with a performance of the opera The Italian in Algiers, by Rossini, from 25 to 28 October. This new proposal of Auditorio de Tenerife also has Nikolas Maximilian Nägele as musical director and Giorgia Guerra as stage manager. It is a co-production with Teatro Comunale di Bologna, where the seven performances scheduled for 2019 will be held.