Please read the following guidelines carefully before beginning your application to the Academy’s Atelier Lyrique and before sending any questions to the Verbier Festival Team.
THE LANGUAGE OF APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION IS ENGLISH.
WHO MAY APPLY
PROGRAMME DATES
HOW TO APPLY
APPLICATION FEE
LIVE AUDITION EXPENSES
COSTS FOR SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS
REFUND POLICY
AUDITION REPERTOIRE
AUDITION VIDEO
LIVE AUDITIONS
FAQ
CONTACT
who may apply
Applicants to the Atelier Lyrique must be singers aged 20 to 32 on 1 July 2025.
Singers may take part in the Verbier Festival Academy only twice.
programme dates
Successful candidates are required to sign an agreement with the Fondation du Verbier Festival committing to the entire Atelier Lyrique summer session from 13 July to 4 August 2025.
how to apply
Applications to the Atelier Lyrique are accepted through the getAcceptd on-line platorm. Google Chrome is recommended as browser for use with the platform.
download chromeCandidates are first screened by application and video audition. Most of those selected from this first screening will then be asked to perform a live audition. The 2025 Atelier Lyrique live auditions are tentatively planned to take place in: London (22 and 23 November 2024), Berlin (12 December 2024) and New York (11 and 12 January 2025).
The language of application documentation is English.
Application Deadline: 1 November 2024
Candidates will be notified of pre-screening decisions by 9 November 2024. Final acceptance/casting decisions will be communicated no later than 17 January 2025. Those who have been accepted to the Atelier Lyrique will have up to five days from the date of the notification to communicate a decision to accept or decline the offer.
All candidates must provide:
- Contact information (name, address, etc.)
- Application Information
- Date of birth, nationality, etc.
- Voice
- School history
- CV describing academic, professional and other relevant experience
- Documentation
- Photo/headshot (landscape orientation)
- Passport/ID
- You as an Artist
- A short biography (no longer than 150 words in English or French)
- A sample one-hour recital programme (to show the candidates skill as a recital programmer)
- Audience engagement experience (i.e. previous outreach experience or projects undertaken to engage a new audience for classical music).
- Video upload of Self-presentation video answering
- Why should you be considered for the Verbier Festival Academy?
AND/OR - Describe one of your most memorable musical experiences.
Please present yourself in English to the best of your ability. Videos should be no longer than approximately 3 minutes in duration.
- Why should you be considered for the Verbier Festival Academy?
- Uploads/Audition
- Role for which they wish to be considered in the Atelier’s featured opera (optional)
- Video uploads of live unedited performance recordings (see repertoire requirements; you must upload a separate video for each requirement)
- Recommendation Request
- At least one recommendation letter
- Payment of application fee (by credit card only)
application fee
All candidates are required to pay a USD 50 non-refundable application fee. This fee is accepted by credit card only through the getacceptd application platform.
Thanks to the generosity of donors to the Festival, application fees will be waived for the following candidates:
- Swiss Citizens born or resident in the Cantons of Geneva, Fribourg, Juras, Neuchâtel, Valais or Vaud
- Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation Scholarship holders
- Ukrainian Citizens
- Russian Citizens
To obtain this exemption, please send proof of eligibility (i.e. a scan of your passport, a letter proving your canton of residence or proof of your affiliation with the CMK Foundation) to the following address: academy@verbierfestival.com.
live audition expenses
Applicants are responsible for their own expenses related to live auditions (travel, accommodation, etc.).
costs for successful candidates
All singers accepted to the Atelier Lyrique receive a tuition scholarship, complimentary housing in Verbier, daily lunch and Festival tickets (subject to availability). Singers are responsible for the cost of travel to and from Verbier and the cost of all other meals and spending money.
audition repertoire
Singers must upload a video recording of the following (a separate link or file for each requirement):
- For those wishing to be cast in the Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin: An aria or excerpt from the role for which they wish to be considered OR a Russian-language aria in a similar style
- For those not wishing to be considered for a role in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin: An aria in the language of their choice
For all:
- An Italian-language aria
- A German Lied
- A song in the language of their choice
Singers may perform the same repertoire should they be invited for a live audition.
audition videos
Please read ALL of the following instructions before starting an application or recording audition videos:
- Recommendations on how to make a strong audition video can be found here.
- Please note that you must upload four separate video files of the arias/song requirements listed under Audition Repertoire. Each recording must be made in one shot, without cuts or edits (unless it is a professionally produced video with multiple camera angles from a live performance).
- Please take into account the size of the room and its acoustic as well as your distance from the camera: the more reverberant the room, the closer you will need to be to the camera (usually 3 metres / 10 feet).
- The use of artificial reverberation or any other audio modification via post-production (editing, splicing, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.
- Watch and listen to your recordings to be sure they represent what you want the jury to consider.
- Attach your videos to your application by uploading the video files (accepted formats: MP4, MPEG, MPG, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, FLV, WEBM, MKV, M2V).
- Once you have submitted your application and paid the application fee, you cannot return to your profile to upload a video.
live auditions
Candidates will be notified whether they will be invited for a live audition by 9 November 2024.
Please note: Audition cities, dates and venues are subject to change; do not book your travel nor accommodation before receiving confirmation of your audition.
There will be a jury of at least two people at each live audition. Singers may bring their own accompanists; otherwise, one will be provided for them.
Auditions are tentatively scheduled in the following cities on the following dates (subject to change dependant on the candidates chosen for auditions):
London: 22, 23 November
Berlin: 12 December
New York: 11, 12 January
Should none of these cities or dates be possible, the Academy will do its best to find a date to hear singers live. If this is not possible, the video submission will remain the basis for evaluation.
faq
Q: I will be younger than 20 or older than 32 on 1 July 2025
Generally, the Academy does not accept applications from singers younger or older than the stated requirements.
Q: When will my live audition be scheduled if required?
Should we request a live audition, we will do our best to work around your schedule.
Q: Does the quality of sound for video applications matter that much?
Yes, the sound quality is of great importance for your video audition. Please refer Audition Videos above
Q: Can my CV be in a language other than English?
Yes, we accept CVs in English, French, German and Italian.
Q: When and how will I find out the results of my live audition?
Decisions will be communicated by 17 January 2025. You must confirm your intention to accept an offer from the Academy no later than 22 January 2025 (7 pm EST).
