Apply Now!

2025 Calendar

1 Oct to 15 Dec 2024

Applications

16 Dec 2024 to 31 Jan 2025

Selection

1 to 10 Feb 2025

Announcement

23 Apr to 4 May 2025

Live Competition

*The application is accepted for pre-selection as long as it is validated by the organization as complying with all the requested requirements.

© Nuno Lemos

LEGEND

Competition Events for Competition members only

Main Competition
*Public events – ticketed and not ticketed

Masterclasses, Concerts and Additional Activities
*Public events – ticketed and unticketed
**For contestants excluded from the Competition and external Singers

23
WednesdayApril
09:30 - 10:30
Arrival & Check-in
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)
*Competition members only
10:30 - 11:00
Opening of Cascais Opera 2025

Speeches by
Alexandra Maurício
Adriano Jordão
Sergei Leiferkus
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)
*Public Event - free entry
11:30 - 13:30
“Towards an Embodied Competition Experience”

group session with Jorge Balça
Pestana Citadel
*Competition members only
** For all Contestants
14:00 - 15:30
Welcome Lunch
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)
*Competition members only
16:00 - 20:00
Rehearsals for 1st Round
Cascais Music Conservatoire
*Competition members only
24
ThursdayApril

1st Round, Day One

10:00 - 18:00
Rehearsals for 1st Round
Cascais Music Conservatoire
*Competition members only
10:30 - 13:00
1st Round

(15min per singer)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public Event - free entry
13:00 - 15:00
Lunch Break
15:00 - 17:30
1st Round

(15min per singer)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public - free entry
25
FridayApril

1st Round, Day Two

10:00 - 18:00
Rehearsals for 1st Round
Cascais Music Conservatoire
*Competition members only
10:30 - 13:00
1st Round

(15min per singer)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public - free entry
13:00 - 15:00
Lunch Break
15:00 - 17:45
1st Round

(15min per singer)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public - free entry
26
SaturdayApril
10:30 - 11:00
Jury’s Announcement of the Semifinalists
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
*Competition members only
11:00 - 13:00
Feedback for singers who did not advance to the Semifinals

Briefing for Semifinalists
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
*Competition members only
13:00 - 14:00
Sign up for Masterclasses in the afternoon
(in person)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)
14:00 - 18:00
Rehearsals for Semifinals
Cascais Music Conservatoire
*Competition members only
14:30 - 18:00
Masterclass with Sergei Leiferkus
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarãesmore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for 1st Round Contestants only - sign up necessary.
14:30 - 18:00
Masterclass with Juliane Banse
Casa da Histórias Paula Regomore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for 1st Round Contestants only - sign up necessary.
14:30 - 18:00
Masterclass with Jennifer Larmore
Cascais Music Conservatoiremore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for 1st Round Contestants only - sign up necessary.
14:30 - 18:00
Masterclass with Aleksandar Nikolić
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for 1st Round Contestants only - sign up necessary.
27
SundayApril

Semifinals, Day One

10:00 - 18:00
Rehearsals for Semifinals
Cascais Music Conservatoire
*Competition members only
10:30 - 18:00
Acting Masterclass with Jorge Balça
Casa da Histórias Paula Rego
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for 1st Round Singers only. Singers are automatically signed up for this Masterclass.
9:20 - 13:00
Semifinals

(20min per singer)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public - free entry
28
MondayApril

Semifinals, Day Two

10:30 - 18:00
Acting Masterclass with Jorge Balça
Casa da Histórias Paula Rego
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for 1st Round Singers only. Singers are automatically signed up for this Masterclass.
9:20 - 13:00
Semifinals

(20min per singer)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)more info
*Public - free entry
15:30 - 16:00
Jury’s Announcement of the Finalists
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
*Competition members only
16:00 - 18:00
Feedback for singers who did not advance to the Final

Briefing for Finalists
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
*Competition members only
18:30 - 19:30
Sign up for Masterclasses on 29/04
(in person)
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)
*Active participation for Semifinalist Singers only (who didn't advance to the Final)
29
TuesdayApril
10:00 - 18:00
Rehearsals with piano for Finalists
Cascais Music Conservatoire
*Competition members only
10:30 - 13:30
Masterclass with Anna Samuil (female voices only)
Casa da Histórias Paula Regomore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for Semifinalist Singers only (who didn't advance to Final) - sign up necessary.
10:30 - 13:30
Masterclass with Jennifer Larmore
Cascais Music Conservatoiremore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for Semifinalist Singers only (who didn't advance to Final) - sign up necessary.
10:30 - 13:30
Masterclass with Sergei Leiferkus
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarãesmore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for Semifinalist Singers only (who didn't advance to Final) - sign up necessary.
15:00 - 18:00
Masterclass with Anna Samuil
(female voices only)
Casa da Histórias Paula Regomore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for Semifinalist Contestants only - sign up necessary.

15:00 - 17:00
Rehearsal for Semi-Finalists Concert with Aleksandar Nikolic
Cidadela Palace (Cascais)
*For Semifinalists only
30
WednesdayApril
10:30 - 13:00
Rehearsal with piano for Final
Cascais Cultural Center (Dom Luís I Foundation)
*Competition members only
time tbc
Rehearsal with conductor for the Final
venue tbc
*Competition members only
14:00 - 18:00
Masterclass for External Singers with Anna Samuil
Casa da Histórias Paula Regomore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for External Singers, not enrolled in Competition - sign up necessary.
15:00 - 18:00
Masterclass for External Singers with Sergei Leiferkus
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarãesmore info
*Public - free entry
**Active participation for External Singers, not enrolled in Competition - sign up necessary.
14:00 - 16:00
General Rehearsal for Semi-Finalists Concert with Aleksandar Nikolic
Venue tbc
*For Semifinalists and Competition members only
20:00
Semi-Finalists Concert
Cidadela Palace (Cascais)
*Public - free entry / ticketed
**For seat reservations, please contact [email protected]
NOTE:
- Subject to venue capacity and confirmation by the organization
- Maximum of 2 tickets per person
- Tickets must be collected at the Cascais Cultural Center between 1pm and 5pm on April 30. Tickets not claimed by 5pm will be distributed to people in the waiting list.
01
ThursdayMay
all day
Nature Day and Picnic
Venue tbc
*Public Event - paid sign up
**For all Competition Members - free sign up
02
FridayMay
time tbc
Rehearsals with orchestra and Finalists
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon)
*Competition members only
03
SaturdayMay
time tbc
Dress Rehearsal with orchestra and Finalists
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon)
*Competition members only
04
SundayMay

Final

17:00
Final
with the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Antonio Pirolli
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon)
*Public - ticketed

Over the past three decades, primarily in London, Portugal and Amsterdam, Dr Jorge Balça
has developed a strong portfolio of work and a unique combination of skillsets – as a stage
director (of theatre, opera, and hybrid forms), a teacher and workshop leader, a presentation
skills, acting and creativity coach, and practice-based researcher. His work in all these
domains is distinguished by his commitment to and skill in making fantasy and invention
emerge from precise knowledge and training – and by his ability to inspire a similar alchemy
in his collaborators.

Classically trained as an actor and countertenor, he studied theatre directing in London and
Moscow, specialising in Shakespeare, techniques of adaptation, Meyerhold and commedia
dell’arte. Jorge also holds a PhD exploring the dramatic training of opera performers.
With a love for site-specific projects and collaborative forms, and an equal flair for comedy
and drama, his work is dramaturgically inventive, visually striking, and physically engaged.
He was the artistic director of Bloomsbury Opera and associate director of The Opera
Makers, both in London. In Portugal, he has recently directed L’Heure Espagnole and The
Turn of the Screw at Centro Cultural de Belém, and Don Giovanni and La Voix Humaine at
Festival de Ópera de Óbidos.

Jorge is committed to his work as a teacher, having taught at the Dutch National Opera
Academy, Morley College London, Universidade de Évora and other institutions. He
maintains an international coaching private practice and is the acting coach at the Neil
Semer Vocal Institute in Italy.

Newsletter
Cascais opera

Thank you for Subscribing to our Newsletter!

Over the past three decades, primarily in London, Portugal and Amsterdam, Dr Jorge Balça
has developed a strong portfolio of work and a unique combination of skillsets – as a stage
director (of theatre, opera, and hybrid forms), a teacher and workshop leader, a presentation
skills, acting and creativity coach, and practice-based researcher. His work in all these
domains is distinguished by his commitment to and skill in making fantasy and invention
emerge from precise knowledge and training – and by his ability to inspire a similar alchemy
in his collaborators.

Classically trained as an actor and countertenor, he studied theatre directing in London and
Moscow, specialising in Shakespeare, techniques of adaptation, Meyerhold and commedia
dell’arte. Jorge also holds a PhD exploring the dramatic training of opera performers.
With a love for site-specific projects and collaborative forms, and an equal flair for comedy
and drama, his work is dramaturgically inventive, visually striking, and physically engaged.
He was the artistic director of Bloomsbury Opera and associate director of The Opera
Makers, both in London. In Portugal, he has recently directed L’Heure Espagnole and The
Turn of the Screw at Centro Cultural de Belém, and Don Giovanni and La Voix Humaine at
Festival de Ópera de Óbidos.

Jorge is committed to his work as a teacher, having taught at the Dutch National Opera
Academy, Morley College London, Universidade de Évora and other institutions. He
maintains an international coaching private practice and is the acting coach at the Neil
Semer Vocal Institute in Italy.

This site uses cookies for a better user experience.

By using this site you are agreeing with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions