1. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1.1. The Associação CIVOC – Concurso Internacional Ópera Cascais (“CIVOC”), an association based in Portugal at Passeio do Báltico, no 43-2E, 1990-036 Lisboa, legal person no. 517761637, within the scope of its statutes, promotes and organizes (“Organization”) the Cascais Opera – International Vocal Competition 2025, in accordance with the following regulations.
1.2. The 2025 “Cascais Opera – International Vocal Competition” (“Competition”) will take place in Cascais and Lisbon, PORTUGAL, between 23 April and 4 May 2025.
1.3. The 2nd edition of the Competition, which takes place in 2025, has one category: Opera.
1.4. The Competition is open to opera singers of all nationalities who: a. are not younger than 18 years old on the date of the beginning of the competition (23 April 2025) b. are 32 years old, or younger on the day of the final — born on 5 May 1992 or later; c. have completed their professional education or are in their final year and aim for a professional career or have an equivalent level of training.
1.5. Singers who in the previous edition of the Competition (2024) were awarded the “Grand Prix – ÉGIDE”, the “1st Prize for best female voice or countertenor ‘Teresa Berganza’” or “1st Prize for best male voice ‘Maurício Bensaude’” are not allowed to participate in this year’s competition (2025). All other former contestants are allowed to apply again in this edition (2025).
1.6. All decisions of the Jury shall be final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding its decisions.
1.7. Contestants selected to the Live Phase of the competition, will be informed from 1st to the 10th of February 2025.
1.8. Some contestants may be put on a Waiting List, subject to the decision of the Jury. These contestants will be informed of the Waiting List on the 10th February.
1.9. Waiting List: a. The inclusion in the waiting list is always subject to the discretion of the Jury; b. Contestants on the waiting list may be invited to the Live Phase until the 10th of March 2025, which is subject to the decision of the Jury and dependent on availability; c. Contestants from the Waiting List invited to the Live Phase must confirm their availability until the 24th of March 2025.
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.
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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.
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