In November 2024，the Italian Opera Academy founded by the renowned Italian conductorRiccardo Muti will come to China for the first time. The mission of the Academy is to pass on Muti's experience and skills to young musicians and familiarize them with the intricate process of opera performance while spreading and popularizing the culture of Italian opera worldwide.The inaugural Riccardo Muti Chinese-Italian Opera Academy was co-hosted by the China Symphony Development Foundation, Vancy Culture (Beijing) Co., Ltd., and Suzhou Cultural Investment Group. Master Riccardo Muti will personally lead a one-week master workshop at the Suzhou Jinji Lake Music Hall, guiding the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra and talented young conductors recruited globally in rehearsing Pietro Mascagni's opera Cavalleria Rusticana. The event will present a magnificent musical feast for the Chinese audience.
On April 3rd, the press conference for the first presence of the Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy project in China was held at the Italian Embassy in Beijing, garnering widespread attention and discussion in both China and Italy, as well as in the global classical music community. During the press conference, Mr. Massimo Ambrosetti, the Italian Ambassador to China, Mr. Federico Roberto Antonelli, the Cultural Counselor of Italy, Mr. Chen Long, the General Manager of Suzhou Cultural Investment Group and Chairman of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, and Ms. Fan Jing, Chairman of Vancy Culture (Beijing) Co., Ltd., delivered inspiring speeches. Although Master Muti was unable to attend the press conference in person, he expressed his anticipation for the visit to China through a video message. Dozens of media outlets covered the press conference, including CCTV English Channel, People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Art News, Sohu, and Wenhui Daily.
Find out more about the event
The "Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy - China 2024" will focus on Pietro Mascagni's opera Cavalleria Rusticana. Master Riccardo Muti will lead the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra through every stage of the production, including piano music rehearsals, score reading rehearsals of the wind orchestra, stage rehearsals of the wind orchestra, as well as singer choir and orchestra rehearsals. The final rehearsal of this event will be guided by Riccardo Muti and conducted by a selected young conductor to present the Cavalleria Rusticana in concert form.
The course takes place in collaboration with Vancy Culture (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as VCB) at Suzhou Cultural and Arts Center [ located at: 1 Guan Feng Street, Suzhou Industrial Park, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China.] from November 24 th to December 1 st, 2024. The course will end with a final rehearsal conducted by the selected young conductors ofthe Academy, presented by Riccardo Muti, on December 1 st (Riccardo Muti himself will conduct “Cavalleria Rusticana” on November 30th, 2024).
* Participants in China are required to pay in Chinese Yuan (RMB) converted at the exchange rate of the People's Bank of China on the day of payment.
Please include the payment details in the email. The subsequent fees will be communicated to the selected candidates via email during the selection process. Please rely on the official email address mentioned in this application form.
*The further possession of a Piano Diploma besides a Diploma in Conducting will be considered as preferential (if in possession, please clearly state it in the application form and cover e-mail).
The application form must be filled in using the attached form and sent via e-mail by [June 30th , 2024] under penalty of invalidation, to the following address: china2024@riccardomutioperacademy.cn or alternative address： vancyculture@gmail.com
N.B.: Applications sent after the deadline or to a different email address will not be considered.
The application must contain:
(A) one video lasting minimum 15 minutes (longer videos are fine), or
(B) more than one video whose duration lasts minimum 15 minutes in total if summed (a
longer duration is fine).
The files need to be in .mp4 format.Please send them via a file transfer service website (like
Baidu Netdisk, WeTransfer or TransferNow) or a file hosting service
website (like Dropbox/Google Drive) enabling us to download the file and sending us
the link for download. Links to video sharing websites (for example YouTube/Vimeo) can
only be accepted ifthe download ofthe mp4 is enabled.
* N.B.: Any type of video with a format different from the one required (mp4) and/or any link that does not allow the download of the file(s) will not be taken into consideration.
The SUBJECT of the e-mail must contain the terms “Italian opera Academy -China Call 2024”.
The application implies the candidate’s full awareness and unconditioned acceptation of what expressed in this notification.
Any clarification and/or information can be requested to the following e-mail address: china2024@riccardomutioperacademy.cn or alternative address: vancyculture@gmail.com
A jury appointed by Riccardo Muti will evaluate all eligible applications received by the deadline, to make a selection of candidates who will take the exam at the presence ofRiccardo Muti.
The result ofthis preliminary selection will be communicated by email by 【October 15th , 2024】
The selected musicians must arrive in Suzhou Cultural and Arts Center, Jinji Lake Concert Hall [ located at: 1 Guan Feng Street, Suzhou Industrial Park, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China.] by November 23 rd, 2024. Detailed arrangements for the exam day will be notified by VCB 15 days in advance.
The exam - with Riccardo Muti - will focus on “Cavalleria Rusticana”. The names of the selected students will be communicated at the end ofthe day.
At the end of the Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy - China 2024 the selected students will receive a Certificate of Participation signed by Riccardo Muti.
Any travel, as well as boarding，food and lodging costs, will be entirely at each participant’s own expense.
In accordance with art. 13 of Regulation (EU) 679/2016 (GDPR) and arts 5, 7, 17, 44-50, etc. of the “Personal Information Protection Law of the People's Republic of China”, you voluntarily provide the personal information required for your application (including surname, name, email address, photo and other materials), and agree that we follow the principles of fairness, legality and transparency in the processing of your personal data. The processor of personal data in China is VCB who can give the data to RMMUSIC for the preliminary selection of young conductors in Italy
Riccardo Muti is one of the most renowned master conductors in the international music scene today. He once conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert six times. He has served as the music director and conductor for internationally renowned orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the La Scala Opera House, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During this period, Muti also served as a guest conductor at prestigious European opera houses such as the Vienna State Opera, La Scala in Milan, and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. He was also one of the most active conductors at the renowned Salzburg Festival and the Florence Music Festival.
Riccardo Muti Conducts Suzhou Symphony Orchestra
Date: 07:30 PM, Saturday, November 30, 2024
Location: Suzhou Culture and Arts Center Grand Theater
Ticket prices: 2280/1880/1480/980/680/380
This concert is recommended for children aged 8 and above, with a minimum height of 1.1 meters. Each person requires a ticket for entry.
The Graduation Concert of Outstanding Youth conductors of Riccardo Muti Italian Opera - China 2024
The Graduation Concert of Outstanding Youth conductors of Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy – China 2024
Date: 07:30 PM, Sunday, December 1, 2024
Location: Suzhou Culture and Arts Center Grand Theater
Ticket prices: 1280/980/680/480/280
This concert is recommended for children aged 8 and above, with a minimum height of 1.1 meters. Each person requires a ticket for entry.
After finishing his engagement in China, Master Muti will commence rehearsals for his seventh time conducting the Vienna New Year's Concert. We will have the pleasure of witnessing his brilliance once again at the Golden Hall on January 1, 2025!
Log on to the official website of the Italian Opera Academy (riccardomutioperacademy.com) ，Find out more about the latest developments in the "Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy – China 2024" project.
