There are many versions of the show, each country having its own slight variations, but the basic concept remains the same: contestants live in a boarding-school called "The Academy", managed by a director, and various teachers coach them in several artistic disciplines.After carrying out a series of auditions for thousands of people throughout Spain, on 22 October 2001, the first Operación Triunfo season began airing on Spanish television channel, La 1.Although production company Gestmusic created the format, Star Academy first premiered in France on 20 October 2001, two days before Operación Triunfo began airing in Spain.[1] Star Academy has reached markets as different as India, the Arab World and the United States, becoming the first Spanish format ever acquired by these countries.Star Academy is in essence a singing competition, where the lowest vote-receiver each week must leave the show, ending finally when only one person remains.