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OPERA HACK 3.0 CHALLENGES

Only accepted Opera Hack participants are eligible to compete. Apply Now to join us!​

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There will be three prizes of $5,000.00 awarded this year. The award money is to be used to advance the proposal towards realization. All of the proposals submitted should combine technological and artistic expertise with a passion for opera. Where does the line between technology and art lay? Is there a line? Feel free to interpret those terms as you will. We recognize that many artists are technologically skilled, and many technicians are skilled artists.

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Challenge 1: Collaborate.

Submit a proposal for a new production of a previously existing work from the world of opera or music theatre that uses recent technological advances to tell the story on stage. Tell us why the technology you are proposing is integral to the story, how the stagecraft of the production is fundamentally transformed by this concept, and how it will impact the audience. The proposal should be appropriate for a complete production, but it does not have to be comprehensive in scope. Meaning: you may focus on one specific aspect of the production, and do not have to put together a complete artistic team.

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Challenge 2: Innovate.

Submit a proposal for an entirely new production of a never-before-produced operatic or music theatre work. Tell us your vision for a new production with a story that is only possible with the fusion of cutting edge technology and avant-garde artistry. The technological and artistic features of the production must be integral to telling the story onstage. Articulate how the audience experience will be unique. Music must be integral to the libretto, script, or scenario, and the piece must have either never been produced before, or only produced in an incomplete fashion, such as a concert presentation or reading. The proposal should be appropriate for a complete production, but it does not have to be comprehensive in scope. Meaning: you may focus on one specific aspect of the production, and do not have to put together a complete artistic team.

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Challenge 3: Evolve.

Submit a proposal for a piece of software, process, technology, method, or other means to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in the world of opera. Explain to us how your project will increase diversity in opera productions, build equity in opera practice, include our full range of human experiences in opera, and/or expand audience and artist access to opera across social, economic, and racial barriers.

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Challenge 4: Sustain.

Submit a proposal for a piece of software, process, technology, method, or other means to make the production of opera and/or the audience experience more environmentally sustainable. Take us into the next 400 years of sustainable opera production with practices that are greener, cleaner, and safer for our planet.
 

OPERA HACK RULES

  1. Only Opera Hack participants accepted for this year’s cycle are eligible to submit proposals.

  2. Participants are welcome to work alone or in teams. 

  3. Every participant will be allowed to submit and be a part of (2) two proposals. This will allow an opportunity for participants to submit both a pre-existing idea and a new one that addresses a challenge. We will not merge any teams who are working on the same challenge. 

  4. Proposals may be centered around a particular challenge, or address another challenge in the industry, so long as it is in the spirit of Opera Hack: using art and technology to advance the artform of Opera.

  5. Participants will have the freedom to work on their own schedule and submit proposals at their leisure anytime during the event (May 20 - July 3). 

  6. Proposals will be reviewed by the Advisory Panel and winners will be selected by August 26 2022.​ $15,000 (USD) will be divided and awarded to three (3) winning proposals at $5,000 each. If a winning proposal belongs to multiple participants, the award money will be paid to a designated team leader. It will be the team leader’s responsibility to distribute funds to other team members.

  7. Every participant in Opera Hack must have agreed to our Community Agreement, which is reproduced below.

  8. These rules may be revised as deemed necessary by Opera Hack leadership and San Diego Opera.

  9. Deadline to submit proposals is July 3 2022 (11:59PM PDT)

  10. Internal presentation of Opera Hack proposals July 8 2022, TIME TBA.

  11. Opera Hack 3.0 winners will be publicly announced on August 26 2022, TIME TBA.

  12. In order for an Opera Hack grant/award to support a new opera that has not been performed, the following must be submitted with the proposal:

    1. A complete outline of the plot.

    2. A recording of music that is composed for the piece that is 10 minutes or more in length.

    3. 30% of the complete libretto. [updated 2022-06-02]

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