Teatro Regio di Parma's Opera Writing Competition Awards Prizes

Elena Mora was named the winner of the critical writing competition for high school students

The Teatro Regio di Parma has announced the winners of its "Elena Formica" Opera Writing Competition. Aimed at students of secondary schools in Parma and its province, the critical writing competition invites students to submit a critical review of one of the company's productions.

The competition was won by Elena Mora, of the “Gian Domenico Romagnosi” Classical High School. As part of her prize, she received 12 invitation tickets for the opera scene, ParmaDanza, and RegioYoung 2025. In second place was Sofia Quintavalla of the “Guglielmo Marconi” Linguistic High School.

Third place was shared between Annamaria Melfa (Gian Domenico Romagnosi) and Irene Elena Pocaterra (Guglielmo Marconi).

In 2024, more than 180 students and their teachers took part in the competition's free critical writing workshop, organized by the opera company in partnership with the Gazzetta di Parma newspaper. In addition, they attended some of the rehearsals for the company's production of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore, to enhance their understanding of the way that operas are put together.

The jury for the competition comprised Luciano Messi (Superintendent of the Teatro Regio di Parma), Claudio Rinaldi (Director Gazzetta di Parma), Andrea Estero (President ANCM, Director of Classic Voice), Alessandro Cafiero, Gian Paolo Minardi (Gazzetta di Parma), Mara Pedrabissi (Gazzetta di Parma), Vittorio Testa (Gazzetta di Parma), Roberta Pedrotti (apemusicale.it), Alberto Mattioli (La Stampa, Il Secolo XIX), Pierachille Dolfini (Avvenire, pierachilledolfini.it ), Alessandro Rigolli (giornaledellamusica.it), Giulio Baffi (President of ANCT, la Repubblica), Enrico Marcotti (Libertà) and the curators of the workshop Angelo Foletto (President of the Franco Abbiati Award for Italian music criticism, la Repubblica), Carla Moreni (Domenica del Sole24ore), and Valeria Ottolenghi (ANCM external relations, Gazzetta di Parma).