New voices in opera
call for scores
Maryland Opera celebrates opera and is committed to bringing the beauty and excitement of live opera to audiences throughout the state of Maryland. New Voices in Opera offers a semi- or a fully-staged performance of new opera that would benefit from an additional production.
Call for Chamber Operas by Composers and/or Librettists that could use a second production. This year will feature works by Latiné/Hispanic Creatives as defined by OPERA America in their IDEA Grants — includes those who identify with nationalities or ethnic groups originating in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Latin nations.
*this is not a commissioning opportunity
View the program page for the 2026 New Voices in Opera cycle:
Required Materials for Submission:
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Operas must be Chamber Operas (30 minutes max) with an orchestration no larger than 9 players
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PDF watermarked perusal piano vocal score and orchestral score
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PDF watermarked perusal libretto
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must include synopsis, list of characters and voice types
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MIDI file, mp3, or mp4 sample of your opera or link to a YouTube clip
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Examples include a recording from your piano vocal score workshop or archival production recordings.
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Name and email address for your submission's grand rights manager for requesting licensing if your work is under license.
Materials will be accepted for consideration through July 3, 2026. All applications and materials must be submitted by 5pm EDT on Friday, July 3. Final selections will be made in the second half of July 2026. Applicants will be notified of decisions by August 3, 2026. Performance of the selected work(s) will be Saturday, February 27, 2027.
Questions can be directed to Jarrod Lee at jarrod.lee@marylandopera.org.
Photos by Madeleine Gray
