About Rough for Opera #20 – ADAPTATION
A commission and performance opportunity for disabled composers and librettists.
Second Movement will select 3 composers and 3 librettists from the expressions of interest submissions and pair each composer with a librettist. Each pair will be commissioned to create a 9-minute piece, adapted from the same literary source chosen by the Rough for Opera team.
The three commissions will be performed onstage as a single programme at the Chelsea Theatre 4 December 2025.
Rough for Opera provides the company for realising these pieces: a director, a conductor, 3 singers and an instrumental trio. Each pair will write for this set of performers.
Each pair will receive structured mentoring on zoom and at the Chelsea Theatre from the Rough for Opera team.
Programme
On Zoom:
Mon 28 July: opening session for chosen participants for introductions and discovery
Chelsea Theatre:
Thurs 11 September: workshopping fragments of works in progress
Tues 2 & Wed 3 December: rehearsals
Thurs 4 December: 2 showcase performances
Fees
Librettists will receive a writing fee of £1250 + £150/day attending (3 days)
Composers will receive a composition fee of £2000 + £150/day attending (3 days)
Expenses (travel and accommodation) will be covered by Second Movement.
Expressions of Interest
This call is open to composers and librettists at all professional levels (this could be your first experience of writing for opera, or you could be very experienced, or anywhere between those) – by librettists we mean those who write texts for staged/performed works. You should be resident, or with leave to remain, in England, Scotland and Wales. Previous applicants to Rough for Opera can apply.
Further information about Rough for Opera #20 – ADAPTATION and how to submit an expression of interest is at www.roughforopera.com.
Rough for Opera
Rough for Opera is Second Movement’s programme for work in progress, new opera and its makers. Since 2011 it has supported the development and performance of more than 50 new works.