On the first weekend in April, ten up-and-coming directors under the age of 35 presented their opera direction concepts for Bedřich Smetana's “Two Widows” to a five-person jury.
At the end of the two-day semi-final round, the jury announced the four finalists of the 13th EOP – European Opera Directing Prize:
Benedict Arnold (D)
Chiara Osella (IT)
Lorenzo Ponte (IT) and
Verena Silcher (D)
The finale is scheduled for 29 July 2023 in Birmingham at the BOC (Birmingham Opera Company), where the opera will later be performed alongside the Smetana Festival.
Applications from 46 teams with a total of 91 participants and a mixture of 18 nationalities for the 13th EOP European Opera Directing Award were received in advance.
The jury of the EOP is made up of well-known artistic directors and directors from the world of opera, at the 13th EOP they are:
Barbara Minghetti, Director of Teatro Sociale di Como and Artistic Director of Festival Verdi of Parma (Chairman)
Karen Stone, Director of Opera Europa
Aleš Březina, Director of Smetana Festival
Richard Willacy, Director of BOC, Birmingham Opera Company
Vasyl Vovkun, Director of Lviv National Opera
