Come September, Mumbai will get a chance to hear some of the most talented tenors and sopranos from around the world. In a week-long event, the final round of the renowned Operalia competition will be held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). Founded in 1993 by legendary tenor Placido Domingo, the event has played a special role in the world of opera, with winners receiving prestigious offers.
“This is the first time that Operalia is being held not only in India but also in South Asia,” says Khushru N. Suntook, chairman, NCPA. Placido, who will also chair the jury, adds, “I first performed in India in 2009 at a concert organised by my friend Zubin Mehta to mark the centenary of his father Mehli Mehta. I am looking forward to connecting with the Indian public again.”
Soprano Sasha Cook performing during the SOI Spring 2024 Season conducted by conductor Martyn Brabbins at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA | Photo credit: Narendra Dangiya
The competition, held from September 15 to 21, invites singers aged 20 to 32 to participate, covering all voice types. From hundreds of applicants, the top 30 or 40 singers who audition are shortlisted. According to maestro Plácido’s son Alvaro, who is also the vice president of Operalia, “The pre-judges look at qualities such as technique and musicality. In the final round, the judges consider various intricacies to choose the best singer. We do not have separate categories for men and women, because the idea is to choose the most promising voice. It is a process that has worked.”
Though opera has limited fans in India and is confined to the metropolis, the news of hosting Operalia has been welcomed. “It is a prestigious competition and the NCPA has been a place of music-making. Our audiences and musicians will get a chance to hear the high standard of performances that exist across the world,” says Patricia Rozario, a British soprano who grew up in Mumbai.
Mumbai-born British soprano Patricia Rozario | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The opera circuit may include full-fledged operas or events involving opera singing. In stage performances, India tends to have more comic operas than serious operas, as they are easier to understand. Though the overall audience is limited, the shows have drawn full houses. “Many people come to see such shows and look at them as social outings. But some people are more interested in this genre,” says opera fan Kaivas Engineer.
Asad Lalji, curator of the Royal Opera House, Mumbai, who passed away recently, felt that though people are exposed to more global cultures, opera is essentially a foreign concept, involving a foreign language. So when productions are selected, one has to ensure that they are accessible to the audience.”
According to Patricia, choosing the right opera makes a huge difference. “We did an Italian opera, Domenico Cimarosa’s The Secret Marriage, at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai. I knew the story was perfect for India because it was a comedy about different types of marriages. We had four sold-out shows. The singers sang in Italian and the audience loved the comedy and the music.”
One of Austria’s most magnificent operas, Die Fledermaus was composed by Johann Strauss II. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Similarly, NCPA’s Khusroo believes that Indian audiences have an understanding of opera because they love song and dance through films, a trait that is also found in operas. Interestingly, Mumbai’s other big auditorium – the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’s (NMACC) Grand Theatre – has not staged any operas in a year of operations but has focused on musical theatre with shows like The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Mamma Mia! and Mughal-e-Azam.
On the other hand, the NCPA has had regular shows. In 2022, it hosted Austrian maestro Johann Strauss II’s Die Fidermaus and Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel’s The Viceroy’s Bank. It also has regular screenings of famous operas. In 2019, the Opera Gala featured New Zealand tenor Simon O’Neill and soprano Amanda Atlas with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) conducted by Zen Dalal. It also gets acclaimed opera singers for the SOI season. In February, American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke performed the repertoire of French composer Hector Berlioz in a show conducted by Martyn Brabbins. “I was happy to see such a wonderful and appreciative audience in India. The Brabbins are ideal collaborators, and they are positive,” she says.
The Royal Opera House has hosted opera shows since its renovation in 2016. The opening performances included the Royal Opera Gala by Patricia and her husband, tenor Mark Troupe, and the Delhi-based Neemrana Foundation. Apart from a tribute to Mumbai’s renowned opera singer Celia Lobo, the venue, run by her daughter Deirdre Lobo, has hosted intensive workshops conducted by Mark.
Patricia Rozario in Don Giovanni, an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, first performed in 1787. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
This requires a large budget. For example, the Royal Opera House has to seek assistance from consulates or institutions that teach foreign languages.
A key area in the community is training opera singers. Institutions such as the Neemrana Foundation, Delhi School of Music and Delhi Chamber Choir have produced promising talents such as soprano Vaibhavi Singh and tenor Gaurav Vohra. In 2009, Patricia and Mark started the Giving Voice to India project. “We were first introduced to India when we heard singers from Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Goa,” says Patricia. “There was an eagerness to learn, and we started visiting India three times a year to conduct an intensive programme on technique, repertoire and pronunciation of European languages.
NCPA Chairman Khusru N Suntook and Operalia Vice President Alvaro Domingo | Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement
Patricia points out that there are many choirs in India and the level of choral singing has improved considerably. “However, opera is a more solo genre and requires greater development of the vocal soloists. As a result, local productions of operas are fewer and of a lower standard. Today, a lot of young Indians are studying music abroad and we are waiting for the time when they can come back to India to perform in a production,” she says.
According to mezzo-soprano Cook, opera singers need to take constant care of their bodies and voices.
If anything, the upcoming Operalia in Mumbai may help draw a new audience for the genre. As Alvaro Domingo says, “Our competitions have always had more prominent regions. We have more singers from the US, South Korea and Japan. Hopefully the upcoming edition will encourage more young singers from India to study opera.” Who knows, there may be an Indian winner someday.
