Since 2002, Montblanc has been the project sponsor of the Salzburg Festival and is financing every year the Young Directors Project, a theatre competition for international directors and their ensembles. In addition to this successful involvement, in cooperation with the Salzburg Festival, from 2008 the culture brand Montblanc will be launching a new, international opera project: From 2008, the Young Singers Project powered by Montblanc will offer selected young talents the unique opportunity, throughout the entire duration of the Salzburg Festival, to not only train their voice and acting skills, but also to work with big names of the opera world, to take part in rehearsals, rehearse parts and, if required, to even get involved on the opera stage as a cover cast member. This programme is personally supervised by the two opera stars Michael Schade and Barbara Bonney and actively accompanied by Theatre Manager Prof Jürgen Flimm, Festival President Dr Helga Rabl-Stadler and Head of Artistic Administration Evamaria Wieser. The Salzburg Festival , explains Michael Schade, has for years been the central point of major artistic thinking, which is constantly manifesting itself in new ways through phenomenal opera, concert and theatre productions. The whole world comes to Salzburg to experience innovative productions and a high-level musical drama. As an artist and singer, I have had the privilege to participate in this creative miracle in the fresh summer air for 15 years now. During my diverse active participation, it has become increasingly clear to me that this is not just an artistic challenge, but in reality bears the obligation to pass on our Salzburg values to others i.e. young artists.
A total of 11 young and highly talented singers from all over the world will be invited to Salzburg. The candidates were selected on an international level from more than 200 entrants in auditions in New York, London, Toronto and Salzburg. In addition to the working sessions, there will be six master classes that are open to the public. These will take place between 24.7.2008 and 21.8.2008 in the university hall of the Salzburg Mozarteum and will be held by Christa Ludwig, Barbara Bonney, Michael Schade, Jürgen Flimm, Thomas Quasthoff, Franz Grundheber and Malcolm Martineau.
Final gala concert: Wednesday 27 August 2008 - 6.00 pm - Mozarteum
The highlight of the Young Singers Project is the final concert as part of the Montblanc Young Singers Gala, which will be held with the participation of the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and conducted by Maestro Ivor Bolton on 27 August 2008. In this concert, all 11 stars of tomorrow will once again introduce themselves and present their voices. Press
