12 - 22 June, 2004,
The Sofia National Opera 
SOFIA , BULGARIA

member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions

REGULATIONS

THE BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS FOUNDATION

THE SOFIA NATIONAL OPERA

The Competition is organised by the BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS FOUNDATION, The Sofia National Opera, The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Sofia Municipality. It’s first edition was in 1961 and it takes place once in every four years.

Characteristic feature of the Competition is that the singers admitted to the third stage are allowed to perform a central part in one of The Sofia National Opera’s performances.

THE BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS FOUNDATION

41, Tzar Boris III Blvd
1612 Sofia
Bulgaria

phone: + 359/2/951 59 03
fax: +359/2/952 15 58
e-mail: borischristoff@abv.bg
e-mail: borischristoff@yahoo.com

13th BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS 

SOFIA -June, 2004

REGULATIONS

  I.ELIGIBILITY

Art.1. (1) The 13th BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS will be held at the Sofia National Opera, 58 Dondukov Blvd, from 12 June till 22 June , 2004.

(2) The Competition is open to Competitors (men and women)of all nationalities

- born after 12 June, 1971. 
- who comply with the present Regulations

(3) There will be no exception to the above rules.

Art.2. The candidates must send the following documents postmarked not later than 1st March, 2004 :

1.An application according to the attached form
2. A copy of passport (ID card)
3. An artistic curriculum vitae in English or Bulgarian, comprising data for the candidate’s education, his/her opera repertoire, participation in performances and concerts, awards received, etc.
4. 2 photos: one in a costume of an opera performance and one 9 x 13 cm photo for the Competion’s brochure and the press.

Art.3. The documents mentioned in Art.2 must be sent to the following address:

13th BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS,

41, Tzar Boris III Blvd
1612 Sofia, Bulgaria

phone: + 359/2/951 59 03
fax: +359/2/952 15 58
e-mail: borischristoff@abv.bg
e-mail: borischristoff@yahoo.com

Art.4. Written notifications will be sent to the applicants approved for participation not later than April 1,2004.

II. COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Art.5. The Competition will be held in three stages open to the public.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME

FIRST STAGE

One aria by :
Beethoven, Gluck, Lully, Monteverdi, Mozart, Haydn, Haendel, Cimarosa or other 17 and 18 century composer

One aria by:
Verdi, Donicetti, Bellini or Rossini

SECOND STAGE

One aria by:
Bellini, Bizet, Wagner, Weber, Glinka,Gounod, Dvorak, Delibes, Giordano, Mascani, Puccini, Rimsky-Korsakov,Moussorgsky, Smetana, Thomas, Tchaikovsky, R.Strauss,Cilea or other 19 th century composer

One aria by:
Debussy, Menotti, Prokofiev, Stravinski, Henze, Berg, Britten, Gershwin, Shostakovich,Janacek, or other 20th century composer

One song by a Bulgarian composer (upon request the candidates will receive score of such a song )

THIRD STAGE

One of the two central parts from the following operas:
Rigoletto, Don Carlo, La Traviata, Il Trovatore (G.Verdi)
Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro (W.A.Mozart)
Faust (Gounod)
Il Barbiere di Siviglia (G.Rossini)
Tosca, La Boheme (Puccini) 
Hitar Petar (Vesselin Stoyanov)
The Jury specifies which one of the two parts must be performed by the Competitor in the third stage.

Art.6. Competitors must list on the application form the works they will perform in the three stages. The listed programme should not be changed. All works have to be performed in the original language as set by the composer. The Competitors must supply scores of the works they perform.

Art.7. Competition schedule:

11th June

10 a.m. - All candidates admitted for participation in the Competition have to appear at the Secretariat of the Competition located in the building of the Sofia National Opera, in order to be registered and pay the entry fee of EURO 100.

6.30 p.m.- Opening ceremony (a concert programme and presentation of the International Jury)

FIRST STAGE

12th June

9 - 11 a.m. - registration of candidates

11 a.m. - drawing of lots for the order of appearance of the candidates (open to the public) during the first and the second stage.

12 a.m. - press -conference
5 p.m. - audition

13th June

10a.m. - 1 p.m. - audition
3 p.m. - audition

14th June

10 a.m-1 p.m. -audition
3 p.m. - audition
9 p.m. - announcement of the Jury’s decisions

SECOND STAGE

15th June

10a.m. - 1p.m. - audition
3 p.m. - audition

16th June

10 a.m. - 1p.m. - audition, 3.00 p.m. - audition
10 p.m. - announcement of the Jury’s decisions
17th June - rehearsals and preparations for the third stage

THIRD STAGE

18th - 21st June - participation in a central part in one of the Sofia National Opera performances in accordance with the performance programme of the Opera 

22nd June

10 a.m. - rehearsal with orchestra for participants in the final Gala concert
11a.m. - press- conference
7 p.m. - announcement of laureates and awarding of prizes
Gala concert of the finalists and the laureates of the Competition.

Art.8. The Competitors take part in the first and the second stage according to voice types and as per their lot order drawn in public on 12 June, 2004.

The performance time for Competitors in the First stage is up to 15 minutes , and for the Second stage: up to 20 minutes

Art.9. The Competitors will be provided with :

- a piano accompanist (if bringing their own piano - accompanist, Competitors should pay his/her costs) 
- rehearsal rooms with a piano
- stage costume and stage- properties for participants in the third stage (if required)
- one acoustic rehearsal in the audition hall up to 40 minutes for participants in the first and the second stage
- one ensemble rehearsal with a conductor and one mise-en- scene rehearsal with a director, partners and piano accompaniment for Competitors in the third stage.

III. JUDGING

Art.10.

(1)Competitors are judged by an International Jury
(2) The ballot of the Jury is secret and its decision is final.
(3) Jurors having a relationship with the Competitor which might be perceived as influencing the vote must abstain.

Art.11. Scoring

- First stage - Jurors vote with ‘yes’ and ‘no’ only and a simple majority will decide on the permission to continue in the Competition.
- Second and third stage - Scoring will be based on numerical system of 25 points. The highest and the lowest scores for each Competitor will be eliminated .

(2) Up to 30 Competitors will be admitted to the second stage,and up to 10 Competitors who have scored at least 18 points during the second stage will be admitted to the third stage.
(3) The final ranking is formed of the scores each Competitor got at the second stage plus the double score received at the third stage.
(4). Laureate titles are to be awarded only to Competitors whose final total score is at least 54 points.

IV. PRIZES

Art.12. The Laureates of the 13th BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS will be awarded the following prizes:

GRAND PRIX OF SOFIA:
USD 7000, a gold medal, a diploma and The Gold Ring of Sofia

WOMEN

First prize - USD 4000, a gold medal and a diploma
Second prize- USD 2500, a silver medal and a diploma
Third prize - USD 1000,a bronze medal and a diploma

MEN

First prize - USD 4000, a gold medal and a diploma
Second prize- USD 2500, a silver medal and a diploma
Third prize - USD 1000, a bronze medal and a diploma
Competitors who have taken part in the third stage, but have no Laureate award, receive a diploma and USD 500.

Art. 13. All prizes are indivisible. The Jury is not bound to award all prizes. Cash encouragements and special awards are envisaged as well.

V. FINANCIAL TERMS

Art.14. The following costs are to be borne by the Competitors.

- round trip travel costs
- hotel accommodation, board, etc. until the end of the First stage
- medical assistance costs in case of any chronic or long term disease
- personal insurance fee
- travel and any other costs for the accompanying persons (including own piano- accompanist), if any.

Art. 15. The following costs are to be borne by the BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS FOUNDATION:

- all costs related to organisation and implementation of the Competition, including prizes
- hotel accommodation with breakfast and cash allowances for the Competitors admitted to the Second stage , considered from the first day of the Second stage and as long as they participate in the Competition.

Art.16. The application processing fee is EURO 100.

VI. OTHER CONDITIONS

Art.17. The programme of the Competition includes the three stages and a final Gala concert , where the Laureate prizes are to be awarded. The participation of the finalists in it is binding and no royalties are paid. The programme for the Gala concert is arranged by the Jury.

Art.18. The BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS FOUNDATION reserves the right to broadcast, televise,distribute and reproduce audio and video recordings without paying additional royalties to the Competitors.

Art. 19. By signing the application form the applicants agree to all the terms stated in the present Rules.

Art.20. The Bulgarian- language version of the Rules and the application form will be the final authority.

ENCLOSURE: Application form:

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13 th BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR

YOUNG OPERA SINGERS - SOFIA, 2004

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 Please, fill in block letters or type

APPLICATION FORM

Name........................................... Family...................................................... Voice Classification..........................................

Date and place of birth.....................................................................Nationality ...................................................................

Address: Country............................................................City............................................Postal Code.................................

Street.................................................................................................................................No................................................

Phone...........................................................Fax....................................e-mail.......................................................................

Country I will compete for: ....................................................................................................................................................

I will require / will not require/ the services of a piano accompanist .

I will bring my own piano accompanist at my own expense :

Name..........................................................Family name.............................................Country...............................................

Please, provide me/do not provide me/ with a stage costume for the opera performance at the third stage

I’ ve made my choice to participate with the following works from the Competition programme:

First stage:

Two arias

Second Stage

Two arias

A song by a Bulgarian composer:

..........................................................................................................................................................

Third Stage:

Two central parts:

(Preferred part is to be listed first)

I herewith declare to comply with the terms of the Competition Rules.

The BORIS CHRISTOFF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG OPERA SINGERS FOUNDATION have the right to broadcast, televise,distribute and reproduce audio and video recordings of my performances in the Competition programme , publish my photos and my artistic biography without paying any royalties to me.