Opera & Music Theatre

The aim of the Master's programme in Opera & Music Theatre is to enable students to develop their creative and reflective abilities to the fullest. It imparts a confident handling of musical material in all genres (instrumental, vocal and electronic music) and encourages openness in dealing with newly developing art forms.

The curriculum is competence-oriented. After completing the Master's programme in Opera and Music Theatre, students should be able to:

• master their instrument, the voice, at the highest level and be able to present themselves professionally
• be free and independent in their musical and scenic presentation
• have a high degree of flexibility in dealing with different musical and scenic concepts
• critically engage with artistic and scientific issues
• be able to perform professionally as a soloist and in an ensemble
• have in-depth knowledge of stylistics and repertoire for opera and musical theatre
• have a command of scientific working techniques and be able to analyse, interpret and write up artistic content in a well-founded manner
• develop their individual interests beyond their own field of study through targeted in-depth study in (free) elective subjects in the spirit of lifelong learning.

The four-semester master's program Opera & Music Theatre is modular in structure. A module is the combination of teaching and learning content into thematically and didactically meaningful units of study. The names and content descriptions (study objectives) of the individual modules, as well as the number of ECTS credits to be achieved for each module and the type of performance assessment are specified in the curriculum.

The module descriptions refer to the corresponding learning outcomes and competencies. The Master's program is a face-to-face program and cannot be offered - not even in parts - as a distance learning program. The courses from the Central Artistic Subject (ZKF) as well as the other Individual Artistic Teaching (KE) are designed to build on each other. Prerequisite for enrollment in courses from the ZKF or KE in each semester - with the exception of the first - is a positive evaluation of the previous semester.

Link to the semester schedule

Admission to the Master's programme Opera and Music Theatre requires the completion of a relevant Bachelor's programme (BA) or another equivalent programme at a recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution (e.g. university, college) (§ 64 Abs. 3 UG 2002). Admission with a pedagogical degree such as teaching degree or instrumental & vocal pedagogy is NOT possible.

A prerequisite for admission to the degree programme is also the successful completion of the admission examination. For this, an online application is first required, during which the necessary documents are checked. An invitation to the entrance examination will only be sent after the complete documents have been checked.

ATTENTION:

• The examination of the pre-study documents can take up to 4 weeks! Early application is therefore recommended.
• You can only apply for studies for which you have not yet obtained a degree!

Necessary documents for online registration

• BA certificate or degree certificate of a relevant degree programme, if the degree programme has already been completed 
• Current confirmation of enrolment if the degree programme has not yet been completed (the certificate must be submitted by the time of enrolment!)
• overview of subjects and grades (Transcript of Records) of the BA degree programme
• Official confirmation of the main subject/instrument, if this is not evident from the other documents (e.g. "Bachelor of Music" is not sufficient!)
• If further previous studies are available, a complete overview of subjects and grades (Transcript of Records) of all artistic and pedagogical Master's and diploma studies must also be uploaded.

Form of the documents

• The documents can be uploaded as PDF files in the application form.
• If the documents mentioned are not available in German or English, an official translation must also be submitted.

The Admission Examination

The following partial examinations must be completed within the entrance examination:

A - Audition to determine artistic aptitude. 

First round:

• Audition of a piece chosen by the candidate and possibly by the commission.
• Six arias or opera scenes from different stylistic periods in different languages must be prepared, two of which must be staged, at least one in German and one in Italian, as well as one aria with recitative.
• The programme must be performed from memory.

Possible intermediate round:

• If necessary, work rehearsal (musical and/or scenic) lasting approx. 20 minutes with the corresponding ZKF teachers.

Second round:

• second part of the audition with a programme from the remaining pieces.

If necessary, an interview with the examination board (discussion of motivation, background, previous studies, expectations or career prospects).

Note: In the case of a double application for MA Opera & Music Theatre and MA Lied and Oratorio, applicants will audition for each degree programme.

B- German language skills

• Required language level: at least A2 (Common European Framework of Reference CEFR 2001)
• Information on the German examination as well as the recognised certificates can be found HERE

After passing Partial Examination A, you will be admitted to Partial Examinations B-D (possibly in a different order). The repetition of the sub-examinations A-C in case of failure is not permitted. The admission examination can only be repeated in its entirety and only in the next academic year. The admission examination can be repeated an unlimited number of times.

Dates & time schedule

The dates of the admission examination as well as important deadlines can be found in the current schedule. 

Time schedule:

• Examination registration during the application period online via the registration portal for university applicants
  (ATTENTION: Registration only possible if documents are complete!)
• If the documents have been ckecked positive: Invitation to the on-site entrance examination
• Participation in the on-site admission test in May/June
• if you pass the admission test: invitation to enrol for the degree programme
• Enrolment during the general admission period

Deviating examination method

Please note that the University Mozarteum Salzburg offers various support options for the admission examination and during your studies if you have a disability or a chronic illness.

If this applies to you and you would like to take advantage of counselling, please contact Claudia Haitzmann: claudia.haitzmann@moz.ac.at oder +43 676 88122 337.

Students of the Bachelor's programme are recommended to complete a semester abroad. Semesters 2 and 3 of the degree programme are particularly suitable for this. In addition to the subject-specific competences, the following qualifications can be acquired through a study period abroad:

• Acquisition and deepening of subject-specific foreign language skills
• Acquisition and deepening of general language skills (language comprehension, conversation, etc.)
• Acquisition and deepening of organisational skills through independent planning of everyday study life in international administrative and university structures
• Getting to know and studying in international study systems as well as broadening one's own subject perspective
• Acquisition and deepening of intercultural competences

The recognition of examinations taken during studies abroad as compulsory subjects, elective subjects or free elective subjects is carried out by the Director of Studies. The documents required for the assessment are to be submitted by the applicant immediately after the stay abroad.

Details at International Affairs.

A significant role for the study program is played by the connection to regional and supra-regional theatre institutions. This includes networking with cultural institutions in the city of Salzburg, cooperations with the Salzburg Festival and the Landestheatre Salzburg, the Philharmonie Bad Reichenhall, and collaboration with the University of Salzburg.

In addition, the university's international network offers a variety of opportunities for international exchange and encounters with other theatre cultures. Auditions for international cultural institutions are held regularly during the academic year. In recent years we have been able to offer auditions for the "Young Singers Project" of the Salzburg Festival, for "Scala di Milano", for the "Opera Studio of the Bavarian State Opera", among others. The performances of the department are regularly attended by cultural managers, artistic directors, casting directors and artists' agents. Numerous graduates of the master's degree program in Opera & Music Theatre have been placed directly in the theatre.