Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize

19/09/2022

Less than a week until the Finals Workshop for the Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize!!

11/05/2022

We’re excited to have finalized the cast for the Domenic J. Pellicciotti finalist Anthony R. Green’s “I Was Shot by a Cop” excerpt for the finals showcase in September.
Please welcome alum and Juilliard grad student Shavon Lloyd and current SUNY Potsdam student Inca Picon to the cast.

02/03/2022

We are thrilled to announce the cast for the finals showcase in September. These student artists will be first hand contributors to the development of important new operas. Excited is an understatement.

27/02/2022

Check out the casting info for each of the finalists of the Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize. We look forward to hearing our wonderful Crane singers and casting these roles for the three-day finals workshop where they will have the opportunity to perform these new works and enjoy dedicated rehearsal sessions with the librettist/composer teams. Auditions will be held February 28th & March 1st. The finals workshop will be held at September 23-25, 2022. The winning opera will be produced by The Crane Opera Ensemble in the fall semester of 2024.
.opera.ensemble

22/01/2022

We are excited to welcome Dr. Carleen Graham as the newest member of the Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize Selection Committee. Dr. Graham is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita and was the director of the award winning .opera.ensemble from 1991 until 2016. Her familiarity with the Potsdam community as well as her deep knowledge of the operatic art will be an asset to the competition now and in the future. Welcome back, Dr. Graham!

21/01/2022

Crane Singers: Sign up for auditions for the Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize Finals Workshop. You'll have the chance to be involved in working with superb composers and librettist teams as they workshop excerpts from their developing works. The workshop runs September 22-25, 2022. The winner of the prize will have their opera produced by the .opera.ensemble during the fall 2024 semester. Sign up for an audition slot at the provided URL.

07/01/2022

Announcing…

27/11/2021

Rest well, Stephen Sondheim

Look at all the things you’ve done for me.
Opened up my eyes,
Taught me how to see,
Notice every tree,
Understand the light…
Concentrate on now…

Let me give you something in return
I would be so pleased…

02/11/2021

Updates: New workshop and premiere dates added. New committee members introduced.
We are ecstatic to be hosting the upcoming finalist workshop next September (23-25) and to be working with two new committee members: Librettist Mark Campbell (Silent Night, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, etc.) and the new Director of Opera at Crane, Dr. Anthony Eversole.

The Domenic J. Pellicciotti Composition Prize was founded by Dr. Gary C. Jaquay to honor his life partner Dominic J. Pellicciotti, an ardent fan of opera. The award seeks to encourage and acknowledge the creation of new opera works that explore themes related to social justice, diversity, equity and...

07/10/2021

Friends: We are announcing the new Pellicciotti Prize timeline for the 2024 Cycle. We are thrilled with excellent new works being developed by the selected finalists, and look forward to the process of workshopping excerpts next fall.

August 2021: Finalists Announced
October 1, 2021: Excerpt Libretto Due
February 15, 2022: 15 min. Sample Due
September 23-25 2022: Work-shopped Readings & Winner Announced
Spring 2023: Draft of Libretto Due
Summer 2023: Draft of Piano/Vocal Score Due
Fall 2023: Workshop Selected Sections with Student Performers
Spring 2024: Full Orchestration & Final PV Score Due
Fall 2024: Performance at The Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam

04/10/2021

Getting ready to read some libretti! Such an exciting time for new opera at The Crane School of Music SUNY Potsdam Crane Opera Ensemble
Stay tuned for the new updated competition timeline and additions to the selection committee in the coming weeks.