LOTTE LENYA COMPETITION 2012 GUIDELINES

In 1998, to honor the centenary of the birth of Lotte Lenya (1898-1981), an extraordinary singer/actress and one of the foremost interpreters of the music of her husband, Kurt Weill (1900-1950), the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music established an annual Lotte Lenya Competition.

The competition recognizes talented young singer/actors who are dramatically and musically convincing in repertoire ranging from opera/operetta to contemporary Broadway scores, with a focus on the works of Kurt Weill. More than a vocal competition, the Lotte Lenya Competition is a theater singing competition that emphasizes wide-ranging repertoire and the acting of songs and arias within a dramatic context.

PRIZES

Finalists selected from DVD auditions and live semi-finals will each receive an award of $500, plus a stipend to defray costs of travel, if any, to the finals in Rochester, NY, USA, on 21 April 2012. The 2012 competition will award prizes equivalent to:

• 1st Prize: $15,000
• 2nd Prize: $10,000
• 3rd Prize: $7,500

In addition, the judges may give special Lys Symonette Awards at their discretion.

ELIGIBILITY

The Lotte Lenya Competition is open to singer/actors aged 19-30 who were born after 31 December 1981 and before 1 January 1993. Contestants may be citizens of any nation.

First, Second, and Third prizewinners from previous years may not enter the 2012 competition; other finalists are eligible to re-apply, provided they meet the current age requirement. Winners of a Lys Symonette Award for performance of an individual selection may not audition with that selection again.

REPERTOIRE

Contestants must prepare four selections:

• one aria from the operatic or operetta repertoire (not by Kurt Weill);
• one theatrical selection by Kurt Weill;
• one song from the "Golden Age" (pre-1968) American musical theater repertoire (this may be another selection by Weill); and
• one song from the American musical theater repertoire originating in 1968 or later.

Selections must adhere to the following guidelines:

• The Weill selection(s) and the opera/operetta aria must be sung in their original musical versions, keys, and language.
• The American musical theater selections must be sung in English. Contestants must perform the stage version of the song as contained in the piano-vocal score of the work (not in "selections" format or popular adaptations).
• Contestants may select a Weill song as their pre-1968 musical theater selection, but no more than two works by Weill may be performed.
• All selections must be performed from memory.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Kurt Weill Foundation at 212.505.5240 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for help in choosing appropriate Kurt Weill repertoire and finding the original musical versions of his works.

Please Note: The varied repertoire selection is intended to show a wide range of your talent as a singer/actor. It is to your advantage to make sure each of your selections demonstrates a different aspect of your vocal and dramatic abilities, and that you sing each selection with vocal technique and interpretive style that are appropriate for the selection in its original dramatic context.

For advice about choosing repertoire and creating a successful performance, applicants should read "Tips for Contestants." Michael Lasser's profile of the Competition describes the 2009 competition in detail; it may also provide useful background as you prepare your audition. You may also view videos of previous Competition prizewinners here.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

To be considered in the first round, every applicant must submit an audition video on DVD of all four repertoire selections, along with a completed application form, current photograph, and resumé by 31 January 2012.

Once all of the DVD submissions have been reviewed, some contestants will be invited to live semi-final auditions. After the semi-finals, a select group will be invited to compete in the finals. Finalists will be announced by 14 March.

AUDITIONS

Preliminary Auditions by DVD

Each contestant must submit their preliminary audition on one DVD, following the repertoire guidelines detailed above and containing all four of the required repertoire selections. DVDs must be received, along with application materials, by 31 January 2012.

Your DVD should approximate a live audition; the view of the camera should include your whole body and allow you to move as you perform your selections. Contestants are encouraged to stage their selections; you may use basic scenic elements such as a chair and/or simple props if desired. You may present your four selections in whatever order you choose, to create what you believe will be the strongest program.

Semi-Finals

Semi-finalists will be invited to audition live in New York City on 9-10 March 2012.

ACCOMPANISTS

The Kurt Weill Foundation will provide an accompanist for the semi-finals in New York City and the finals in Rochester. Contestants may utilize the staff accompanist free of charge or bring their own accompanists at their expense.

FINALS

A competition for invited finalists will be held on 21 April 2012 at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, USA. Finalists will receive a stipend to defray costs of travel, if any.

The finals will be divided into two rounds: (1) an afternoon competition in which finalists sing their four repertoire selections, and (2) an evening performance in which finalists each perform one or more of their selections. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the evening performance.

JUDGES

Judges for past Lenya Competitions have included world-renowned soprano and actress Teresa Stratas; legendary director and producer Harold Prince; conductors Julius Rudel, James Holmes, John Mauceri, Rob Berman, and Eric Stern; director/conductor Ted Sperling; Broadway and opera performers Victoria Clark, Angelina Réaux, Rebecca Luker, Timothy Nolen, and Lisa Vroman; institutional leaders Welz Kauffman (Ravinia Festival), André Bishop (Lincoln Center Theater), Theodore S. Chapin (Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization), and Michael Kaufmann (Kurt Weill Fest); actor/director Alvin Epstein; directors Jonathan Eaton, Elmar Ottenthal, and Mark Cuddy; and composer/performers William Bolcom and Stanley Walden.

WHAT THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR

The Lotte Lenya Competition recognizes singer/actors for excellence in a wide-ranging repertoire of theater singing. The judges look for versatile musical theater singers who present fully acted performances of their material. You should choose repertoire appropriate for your vocal, acting, and age type and range. You should perform each selection as if you were playing the role in the full dramatic context of the original work, and sing in the appropriate musical style. You need to be able to convince the judges that you are “right” for the roles you are portraying and that you understand the dramatic context and musical idiom of each of your selections.

Successful performances demonstrate not only the contestant’s vocal talent and musicianship, but make a strong dramatic impression through the synthesis of singing and acting. They show that the contestant can create a character in a dramatic situation, act each moment truthfully, physically inhabit the role using movement and gesture when appropriate, and act the song/aria within a clearly imagined environment. Standing in the crook of the piano is only rarely appropriate. Successful performances also demonstrate the contestant’s ability to apply appropriate technical and stylistic singing approaches to contrasting idioms of musical theater. Just as it would be inappropriate to sing an aria in a pop style, it also would be inappropriate to sing most American musical theater selections with your least conversational operatic voice.

For more advice on creating a successful performance for the Lotte Lenya Competition, please read "Tips for Contestants."

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Preliminary audition DVD, along with a completed Lotte Lenya Competition Application Form, current photograph, and resumé must be received by 31 January 2012.

You may complete the application form PDF using Adobe Acrobat or Reader, save it, and email it, along with your resumé and photograph, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , OR you may send print copies along with your DVD.

Please be sure your DVD is clearly labeled with your name.

DVDs should be mailed to:
The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music
7 East 20th Street
New York, NY 10003 USA
Tel: 212.505.5240 / Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Application Form

Guidelines (PDF)

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about the Lotte Lenya Competition or guidelines, please contact the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 212.505.5240.