Opera Vista brings new operas from young and upcoming composers to Houston—and then puts them in competition for audience votes, American Idol-style.

Check out excerpts from the four operas in the semifinals on March 26, which will be chosen by the audience of the semifinals on March 24. Operas competing include:

And Then I Remember, music by Lembit Beecher
Bamboo Cutter and the Moon, music by Joseph Eidson
Happy Garden of Life, music by Katarzyna Brochocka
Joc de Mans, music by Alberto Garcia Demestres
The Monkey’s Paw, music by Jonathan Kupper
Requiem for the Living, music by Ronnie Reshef
The Yellow Wallpaper, music by Catherine Reid

Other notable Opera Vista events include a performance of last year's winner, Anorexia Sacra, at Friends' Meetinghouse on March 20 & 27—the former is a world premiere, and the latter will also feature the announcement of the 2010 winning opera; a chamber concert on March 25 featuring the works of Daron Hagen; and a composers' brunch on March 27.