I. Information about the institute:
State Opera-Ruse is a cultural institute consisting of soloists, a choir, a ballet, and an orchestra. Under the baton of some of the world-famous conductors - Kurt Mazur, Carlo Zecchi, Dmitry Kitaenko, Kurt Sanderling, Evgeny Svetlanov, Valery Gergiev, etc., we have developed and continue to grow as one of the best, leading ensembles in Bulgaria with over 100 years of history. Dmitri Shostakovich and other eminent musicians such as Franco Ferrara, Carlo-Maria Giulini, Katia Ricciarelli, Boris Belkin, Yuri Bashmet, and many others had worked with the orchestra. The choir of the State Opera-Ruse dates back to 1949. During its long existence, the choir of the Ruse Opera has accumulated a great professional experience and maintains diverse repertoire in different genres including more than 40 titles by foreign and Bulgarian composers, among which we distinguish the names of Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Wagner, Glinka, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Smetana, Gershwin, Shostakovich, Parashkev Khadzhiev, Alexander Raichev, Simeon Pironkov, Maestro Georgi Atanasov. The choir owes its high professional level to the long-standing work of the choir conductors Atanas Dimitrov, Tomina Sidova, Hristo Stoev and Steliyana Dimitrova-Hernani. Under the expert leadership of these professionals, the Opera Choir has won the applause and brought audiences to their feet almost all over Europe - Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Romania and Russia.
II. Open positions for choir members:
• SOPRANO
• ALT
• TENOR
• BARITONE
• BASS
III. Workplace:
STATE OPERA RUSE, BULGARIA
IV. Audition for choir members:
1. Requirements for candidates - documents:
- Application form (will be sent by the office to the email provided by the candidate to be filled in with personal data)
- CV
- Repertoire
- Copy of high school diploma or university degree. Musical education is an advantage - diplomas, certificates from competitions and master classes (if the candidate has).
2. Required qualities of the candidates:
- Ability to work in a team;
- Ability to work with different styles of repertoire;
- Willingness to develop professional qualifications;
- Previous experience in a similar position is an advantage.
V. AUDITION IN TWO ROUNDS:
1. First round:
- Video recording (preferably current or no older than four months) of two works of the candidate's choice
- If the committee decides, a live audition may follow as a Second Round (Committee will announce a deadline to appearing; theatre does not cover travel expenses).
2. Second Round:
Audition Procedure:
• Vocal exercises - includes various vocal exercises (of the committee's choice) establishing the candidate's range;
• Setting different strokes and reproducing by ear assigned interval and rhythm exercises.
• Presentation of two arias or an aria and a song of the candidate's choice.
• Interview with the committee.
*The theatre provides an opportunity for a 20-minute pre-audition workshop with an accompanist.
V. Method of forming the labor remuneration:
- According to internal rules for determining labor remuneration, with the possibility of negotiation;
VI. Working conditions:
- 5-day work week;
- up to 40 working hours per week;
- 36 working days of paid annual leave;
- partial coverage of accommodation costs.
VII. Deadline, place and method of submitting the documents and video materials for the audition:
- Submission of documents and video materials:
• Personally, in the office of State Opera Ruse;
• By email to: office@ruseopera.com
- Deadline for sending the documents and video records: 28.07.2025 28.07.2025 г.
VIII. Additional information:
- The audition will take place on 30.07.2025 at 11:00 in the New Choir Hall - Rehearsal Building/ State Opera Ruse;
- Candidates admitted to the audition, who will be invited for the second round in person, will be notified about the exact place and time of the audition at the contact email address provided;
- The selected candidates will sign a one-year contract with six (6) month trial period.
