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Call for Lead Soprano – Immersive Chamber Opera (Sweden, Oct 2025)
We are seeking a UK-based soprano for the lead role in a newly commissioned 30-minute immersive chamber opera with a contemporary score and English libretto.
- Rehearsals: 3 half-day sessions in August or September (dates TBC; flexible around availability)
- Performance: 21 October 2025, at a venue in Malmö/Lund, Sweden
- Fee: Generous flat project fee, well above Equity minimum, paid in 7 days of performance
- Expenses covered: Return flight from a UK city to Copenhagen; Train transfers from Copenhagen airport to Malmö/Lund; 2 nights’ hotel accommodation; Daily subsistence allowance
Further descriptions: This role is ideal for an emerging soprano with interest in new music, role creation and collaborative chamber work. We value excellence and offer above-industry pay to support and attract outstanding emerging artists.
To apply, please send the following to info@operactive.co.uk:
- CV
- Recent video recording (preferably including a 20th/21st-century excerpt) of 10-15 mins
- Short cover note (c.200 words)
Application deadline: 18 July 2025. We’ll be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and may cast the role early if the right singer is found—early submission is encouraged.
*Audition process: If you’re shortlisted, we’ll ask you to kindly let us know your expected fee range, as well as self-record a demo of the role based on one aria from our opera (we’re only looking for vocal and artistic fit at this stage, not polished and professionally produced recording; you don’t have to memorise the lyrics and music). We encourage honesty in expressing your expected fee range – fee expectations will not disqualify you.
FAQ
Casting Call FAQ – Audition Process for Immersive Chamber Opera (UK, Sweden)
We’ve put together this brief FAQ to answer common questions we’ve received from singers. We hope it offers transparency and clarity about how we work and what you can expect. If anything remains unclear, don’t hesitate to reach out.
| 1. Why didn’t you list a fixed fee in the audition call? | We welcome applications from both emerging and experienced performers. Because artists’ levels of experience and involvement can vary significantly (especially in an experimental, collaborative project like ours) we prefer not to fix a one-size-fits-all fee. Instead, we ask candidates to share their expected fee range so we can have an open and fair conversation. That said, we are committed to paying above industry minimum rates, and we take artist compensation seriously. |
| 2. Is this an unpaid or speculative work? | No. This is a paid role. The audition process asks shortlisted singers to submit a short video of themselves performing an aria to assess artistic fit, voice type and creative interpretation. We know your time and energy are valuable. That’s why we keep the process artist-friendly: the excerpt is short, you don’t need studio-quality production, no live accompaniment is required and there’s no need to memorise lyrics and music. |
| 3. If I give a high expected fee, will I be excluded from consideration? | Not at all. We encourage honesty in expressing your expected fee range. Fee expectations will not disqualify you. If we love your artistic fit and are unable to meet your full rate, we’ll let you know and discuss openly. Our goal is to ensure the final offer is mutually fair and respectful. |
| 4. What kind of project is this, and who is behind it? | This is an immersive chamber opera produced by Operactive Arts, a UK-based social enterprise that supports classical music innovation. We work with interdisciplinary research environments and reputable academic institutions to co-organise our shows. Our work brings together human-centred performance and emerging digital technologies, such as AI, live coding and immersive media, in a genre-blending space between contemporary opera, science fiction and digital theatre. We support co-creation, fair pay and creative risk-taking, and we’re excited to work with singers who share these values. |
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