The Italian libretto by Bizet arrives at the Cervantes through Carlos Álvarez and Carlos Aragón

Don Andronico, an old miser, wants to marry his niece Bettina to another miser, named Don Procopio, because he worries that a younger man might squander all his money. This is the plot of Don Procopio, an early work by Georges Bizet - the author of 'Carmen', one of the most famous operas in history - which will be staged in the second edition of the Opera Studio of Malaga (ÓEM), led by the baritone from Malaga, Carlos Álvarez, and the conductor from Cadiz, Carlos Aragón.

About fifty soloists up to 35 years old from all over the world have registered for the auditions, from which 26 have been preselected who are demonstrating their vocal and interpretative skills these days at the Echegaray Theater. Álvarez and Aragón will decide which 14 soloists will make up the double cast of this comic opera - a comedic genre - written in Italian by the French composer.

It is a choral work by Bizet, written when he was 21 years old. Don Procopio, whose author did not live to see premiered, is a farce in the style of 'commedia dell'arte'. The young performers will face a score full of energy and a libretto that follows the tradition of comic opera which includes the particular language of mask theater.

"A opera like Don Procopio fundamentally needs male material to cover the entire cast," says the singer from Malaga. "That was our main concern, because finding deep voices, especially baritones and basses that could meet all our needs, initially seemed like a problem to us."

The young performers will face a score full of energy and a libretto that responds to the tradition of comic opera

The culmination of the auditions will be the selection of two singers for each character in the work, to fill the quota of the double cast. Basses or bass-baritones will be chosen for the role of 'Don Procopio', tenors for 'Don Odoardo', baritones to embody 'Don Ernesto', basses or bass-baritones for 'Don Andronico' and 'Pasquino', and two sopranos to play 'Donna Bettina' and 'Donna Eufemia'. "The fundamental goal is to give young singers the opportunity to develop on stage having the perception of professionalism firsthand," explains Álvarez.

"The fundamental goal is to give young singers the opportunity to develop on stage having the perception of professionalism firsthand," explains Álvarez. "We believe there is a lot of talent. There are many possibilities for young people to finally participate in a project where we are all professionals."

Carlos Álvarez will continue with the vocal technique training of the selected ones, while Carlos Aragón will lead the baton in the educational process and staging. "We are particular in that sense," acknowledges the baritone. "We think that the mere audition is not enough to get all the information about how their capacity for adaptation and their response to stimulus will be."

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"It is the character that has posed the most challenge to me of all those I have studied," confesses Laura Molina, who is auditioning for the character of Bettina. "Although I am a lyric-light and I do reach the high notes, it is a character that requires speed and flexibility in coloratura."

The training period will take place on the Costa del Sol from November 3 to December 6, the day of the second and last performance of Don Procopio at the Teatro Cervantes. The Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choir of the Teatro Cervantes de Malaga-Intermezzo will be part of the assembly, ensuring that the young improve their artistic development.

"We support them in such a way that they arrive confident at what is the debut in an opera theater and the final consequence is that when all this is carried out, they enter what is a professional circuit," explains Álvarez. Don Procopio will take the stage on the 4th and 6th of next December, within the framework of the 38th Lyric Season of the Teatro Cervantes de Malaga.