Thursday (2/23) on The Stage (U.K.), Michael Quinn reports, “English National Opera is to launch a global online talent search for new composers, writers and filmmakers in an initiative seeking to ‘create the future of opera.’ Mini Operas will be operated entirely online in partnership with a range of organisations including the London Film School, British Film Institute, Classic FM and the Vimeo and Soundcloud websites. Judges for each of the three disciplines include novelists Will Self, Neil Gaiman and AL Kennedy, composer Nico Muhly, and film director Terry Gilliam, who said: ‘Opera is really, really hard to do well. I know. I want people to find it out for themselves. I’ll be judging, and I want to find future stars who can work with this ridiculous, stupefying, insane, wonderful art form. Good on ENO for trying to find anyone mad enough to have a go.’ Selected scripts, scores and films will be showcased at the BFI later this year, with one winner from each category receiving mentoring from Muhly, the BAFTA Award-winning composer, writer and director Jeremy Sams, and the designer and director Leo Warner.”
Posted February 24, 2012
