Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition

About the Competition

The Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition encourages the composition and performance of chamber-scale operas for production in college, university, and conservatory opera programs as well as young artist programs. This aligns with the mission of the NOA itself, which is to support and serve opera performance and pedagogy at the highest possible level in the collegiate and young artist arenas.  Forward-looking ideas, fresh approaches and imagination which moves our art form forward are welcome and encouraged.

The competition runs in two-year cycles. In the first year, composers submit scores for preliminary judging. Three finalists are chosen and excerpts from those operas are presented at the national conference for competition. The winning opera, chosen from among the three finalists, will be produced in its entirety at the NOA conference the following year.

2025-26 Competition Cycle Submission Deadline: May 1, 2025  

Scenes of the three finalist works for this competition cycle will be produced at the national conference in Boston in January 2026, with the winning work produced in January 2027.

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Eligibility

• The Chamber Opera Competition is open to all applicants, regardless of age or nationality, with the exception of composers or librettists of finalist works in the most recent competition cycle (2023-24), and composers or librettists of winning works within the last three competition cycles (since the 2019-20 cycle).
• All submissions must be unpublished operas not accepted by a publisher for either publication or rental.
• Works previously performed by Opera American Budget Groups 1 and 2 companies (or equivalent) are not eligible, unless the performance was a workshop, young artist or outreach experience, or second stage production. Works performed by Opera America Tier 3 and 4 companies and other smaller producing organizations are eligible. For your convenience, a link to the Opera America Membership Directory is provided here: https://www.operaamerica.org/membership-directory
• Language: English
• Length: No more than 60 minutes
• Cast: Two or more singers
• Orchestration: Maximum of 20 players
• Applicants may submit more than one opera provided that each conforms to competition guidelines.

Submission Procedure

• All applications must be submitted by May 1, 2025.
• Judging is blind; therefore applicants must remove all identifying information from scores and any provided recordings to assure anonymity to the adjudicating panel.
• A complete piano-vocal score must be submitted in PDF format, uploaded in the application form. The score must include a title page that indicates the cast of characters with voice types, and the size and instrumentation of the orchestra. The names of the composer and librettist must not appear anywhere on the title page, in the score, or in the filename. While the orchestration (actual or planned) must be indicated, full orchestral scores should not be submitted, as they will not be reviewed.
• NEW FOR THIS CYCLE:  All submitted works must be accompanied by an audio or video recording(s).  For works under 30 minutes in length, a full audio or video recording is required. For works longer than 30 minutes, a complete recording is preferred, however a submission of a minimum of 30 minutes of recorded material is required. If submitting a partial audio/video recording, please indicate in the score where the music begins. Demos utilizing electronic/MIDI accompaniment and vocal part representations are acceptable, however, live singing is preferred in all media submissions, if possible.
• NOTE:  Submissions which include only a piano/vocal score with no accompanying link(s) to some form of audio or visual media will not be accepted.
• Recordings/Videos must be submitted via a link to an anonymous YouTube channel created with a pseudonym to maintain anonymity (for example, Composer 123). The uploaded video should also contain no identifying information (check for composer and librettist names in the supertitles, if they are present) and the visibility should be set to Unlisted. The Unlisted visibility allows only the judges receiving the link to view the video thereby maintaining the security of the artistic work. For guidelines in creating a new YouTube channel and uploading your Unlisted submissions to the new anonymous account, please see: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1646861?hl=en 
• Once the Unlisted video is uploaded to the anonymous account, cut and paste the link into the application form. No password should be associated with the video, and it should be accessible to the judges until September 5, 2025. After that date, composers may feel free to deactivate the account or remove the video of the submitted work.  
• NOTE: The use of other platforms such as Vimeo, Soundcloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or WeTransfer are acceptable provided that all anonymity guidelines outlined above are met. 
• Finally, the $30 application fee must be paid online as part of the submission form.

Submission Checklist

Submitters: please review carefully to ensure that all components of your submissions, both scores and recordings, are fully anonymous.  Don’t forget to:

• Include the title page.
• Provide a PDF of the full piano/vocal score with the application.

Please double check that: 

• Videos are accessible and not password protected.
• No names of the composer or librettist appear anywhere on the title page, score, filenames, or supertitles.
• The opera is no longer than 60 minutes.
• The opera is written for two or more singers.
• The orchestration does not exceed 20 players.
• Obtain permission from any written works not in the public domain.

Guidelines

If the libretto is based on an existing work or source material not in the public domain, the submission application must include written evidence of permission to use the work, without which submissions will not be adjudicated.

Composers and librettists of selected finalist works will receive complimentary conference registration if they choose to attend the January 2026 conference, but will be responsible for their own travel and housing.  The composer and librettist of the winning work selected for a full production will receive both complimentary registration and travel and housing to attend the January 2027 conference and the work's performance.

By submitting this work for adjudication, the creators agree that if selected as the competition winner, they will permit NOA, along with its producing institution, to present and advertise a full production of the work during its national conference in January 2026, including waiving of any relevant performance rights and fees. Arrangements and coordination with any commissioning entity, publishers, composer/librettist representative, relevant copyright holders, etc. will be the responsibility of the creators.  Finalized performance materials (piano/vocal score, full score, and instrumental parts) for the winning work must be submitted to NOA by July 1, 2026, and must employ the same orchestration as described in the initial application, unless otherwise agreed in advance. 

Selection Procedure

A distinguished panel of composers and opera directors select the winning finalists. Scenes from three operas chosen as finalists are presented in a showcase performance with piano at the NOA national conference in January following the application deadline. The opera chosen as the winner of the NOA Chamber Opera Competition is then performed in a full production with instrumental ensemble at the national conference in the following year.

NEW THIS CYCLE:  All submitted works must be scored for at least 2 (two) singers.  Monodramas, or works intended for only one performer, will not be accepted. However, modular forms are acceptable and encouraged, meaning works which include separate scenes or arias for at least two performers and which can be performed as a whole, or excerpted into individual units or arias in future performances.  Composers are encouraged to consider excerptablity (does the work offer at least one selection which can be excerpted for auditions?) in order to drive singer-led advocacy for the new work. 

The mission of the Argento Competition is to inspire the creation of quality chamber operas and build a rich repertoire to serve the NOA community, it's opera training programs and our developing singers. As such, entries will be evaluated on vocal writing, dramatic narratives, and musical language that shows an understanding of the developing opera voice.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider a balance of voice types and gender-neutral roles in their composition, where possible, that will be feasible to cast, and to consider reasonable production demands (e.g. technical, scenic, or other visual requirements) which could allow the work to be produced by programs both large and small. 

The adjudication will consider these criteria with regards to the competition's mission to encourage the composition and performance of chamber-scale operas for production in college, university, and conservatory opera programs as well as young artist programs. 

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Past Winners

2021-2023: Sanctuary and Storm, music by Tawnie Olsen, libretto by Roberta Barker

2019-2020: The Ghosts of Gatsby, music by Evan Mack, libretto by Joshua McGuire

2017-2018: After Life, music by Tom Cipullo, libretto by David Mason

2015-2016: The Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret, music and libretto by Leanna Kirchoff

2013-2014: An Embarrassing Position, music and libretto by Dan Shore

2011-2012: Confession, by Raphael Lucas (composer) and Jacques Trussel and Margaret Vignola (librettists)

2009-2010: The Beautiful Bridegroom, music and libretto by Dan Shore

2007-2008: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast, by Paul Salerni (composer) and Dana Gioia (librettist)

2005-2006: Where the Cross is Made, by Nancy Van de Vate (composer), adapted from a play by Eugene O'Neill.

2003-2004: unknown

2001-2002: Cleo, by Bruce Trinkley (composer) and Jason Charnesky (libretto)

1999-2000: Eve's Odds, by Bruce Trinkley (composer) and Jason Charnesky (libretto)

1997-1998: Talk Opera, by Milton Granger (composer)

1994-1995: With Blood, With Ink, by Daniel Crozier (composer) and Peter M. Krask (librettist)

1992-1993: Tobermory, by Jorge Martin (composer) and Andrew Joffe (librettist)

1990-1991: Co-winners: The Boor, by Donald Grantham, and Uncharted Waters, by Milton Granger

1988-1989: The Skin Drum, by Julian Grant (composer) and Mark Morris (librettist)

1986-1987: The Gentle Boy, by Philip Rhodes (composer)

1984-1985: Aria da Capo, by Bern Herbolshimer (composer) to poetry by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Questions

Questions regarding the competition may be addressed to:
Paul Houghtaling, competition chair, at , or to
Kirk Severtson, Executive Director, at or by calling 734.615.3784.

2024-25 Competition Winner Announced

Congratulations to Douglas Buchanan, composer, and Caitlin Vincent, librettist, whose work, Bessie and Ma, was selected as the winner of the Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition from the finalists at the 2024 National Conference in Tempe, AZ. 

This work will be produced in its entirety at the January 2025 National Conference in Savannah, GA.

The competition committee congratulates all three finalist works, excerpts of which were performed at the National Conference in January 2024 in Tempe, AZ:

• Bessie and Ma, by Douglas Buchanan, composer, and Caitlin Vincent, librettist
• A Braided Light, by Paul Richards, composer, and Wendy Steiner, librettist
• An Incident in Sutton Square, by Martin J Hennessy, composer and Stephen Kitsakos, librettist

Chamber Opera Competition

• 2021-23: Sanctuary and Storm
• 2019-20: Ghosts of Gatsby
• 2017-18: After Life
• 2015-16: The Clever Artifice
• 2013-14: An Embarrassing Position
• 2011-12: Confession