RESEO Best Opera Prize 2017: The Winner!

4 September, 2017

RESEO is delighted to announce the winner of the 2017 RESEO Prize for Best Opera, awarded in partnership with Jeunesses musicales international as part of the YAMawards:

IHMEPOIKA A (WONDER BOY A)

BY FINNISH NATIONAL OPERA & BALLET

FINLAND

“Ihmepoika A is the story of an unaccompanied underage asylum seeker who changes everything. The opera addresses issues such as prejudice and funding cuts. We also discuss whether we can exist without them. The moral is that without imagination nothing will ever happen” Paleface – librettist

The school opera Ihmepoika A (Wonder Boy A) was created jointly by pupils in lower-level comprehensive school and opera professionals. Lyrics were provided by rap artist Karri Miettinen, aka Paleface, and music by Timo Hietala. The director is Riikka Oksanen, and the visual designer is Anna Kontek. The opera premiered in Almi Hall on 7 April 2017. Productions will be created at up to 80 schools around Finland from autumn 2017.

The prize was judged according to: the quality of the music and artistic materials; the skill of the performers; the degree of communication between the performers and audience; the relevance of the piece for young audiences; the international touring potential and the quality of the production’s staging.

More information about Ihmepoika A on the Finnish National Opera website

Well done to nominees

Aikalisä (Finland)

Different (UK)

Lamento (South Africa)

And a big thank you to our 2017 jury

Pasión Benitez, manager of Pasión por la Música

Dominique Boutel, music journalist for France Musique (Radio)

Patrick Lenaers, managing director of Youth and Music Flanders (Jeugd en Muziek Vlaanderen)

Shirley Apthorp, freelance journalist and director of Umculo Cape Festival

Hannah Cross, undergraduate student at the University of York and Chair of the University Opera Society

Violaine Fournier, creative artist/performer and director of Compagnie Minute Papillon

Omar Shahryar, composer and director of Opera Schmopera

For more information about the YAMawards 2017, please visit the YAMawards website

In partnership with