As I am going away and may not be around to remind you: Bookmark this link to watch: Operalia 2011 Final Round - 27/07/11 - 3:00pm CET. Free to view live.
The nineteenth edition of the Operalia International Competition will take place in Moscow from 18th to 24th of July 2011. medici.tv will be broadcasting the final gala concert. Plácido Domingo, artistic director and chairman of the jury (although non-voting member), will conduct the orchestra that accompanies the ten candidates.This year again almost a thousand candidates have submitted their applications to participate in one of the greatest international vocal competition. Forty contestants have been selected to compete during the quarter and semi finals. On Sunday, July 24, only the ten best candidates will be on stage for the final round.
Candidates for the 2011 edition
Rosy Anoush, soprano (USA / Armenia)
Khachatur Badalyan, tenor (Russia)
René Barbera, tenor (USA)
Lena Belkina, mezzo-soprano (Ukraine)
Erica Brookhyser, mezzo-soprano (USA)
Olga Busuioc, soprano (Moldova)
Michael Carliyan, ténor (Armenia)
Medet Chotabaev, ténor (Kazakhstan)
Oleksandr Chuvpilo, baryton (Ukraine)
Irina de Baght, mezzo-soprano (Canada / France)
Juan Pablo Dupré, baryton (Chile)
Teona Dvali, soprano (Georgia)
Nazanin Ezazi, soprano (Iran)
Isaac Galán, baryton (Spain)
Yury Haradzetski, ténor (Belarus)
Haeran Hong, soprano (South Korea)
Viktor Korotich, baryton (Ukraine)
Anna Kraynikova, soprano (Russia)
Maya Lahyani, mezzo-soprano (Israel)
Alexey Lavrov, baryton (Russia)
Jaesig Lee, ténor (South Korea)
Suren Maksutov, ténor (Ukraine)
Ekaterina Markova, soprano (Russia)
Lys Nardoto, soprano (Brazil)
Adam Palka, basse (Poland)
Jongmin Park, basse (South Korea)
Sergey Polyakov, ténor (Russie)
Olga Pudova, soprano (Russia)
Petro Radeyko, baryton (Ukraine)
Fernando Javier Radó, basse (Argentina)
Natalia Rytova, soprano (Russia)
Jonathan Sells, baryton (United Kingdom)
Konstantin Shushakov, baryton (Russia)
Alexey Tatarintsev, ténor (Russia)
Umut Tingür, basse (Turkey)
Julien Veronese, baryton-basse (France)
Johanna Winkel, soprano (Germany)
Narine Yeghiyan, soprano (Armenia)
Pretty Yende, soprano (South Africa)
Sarah Zhai, soprano (China).
Background
Operalia was created in 1993 with the aim of locating, encouraging and fostering some of the most gifted young vocal artists of our time. Each year it is held in a different city, and each year Maestro Domingo selects the panel of judges from directors of some of the world’s major opera ensembles, who are in a position not only to award the prize money but also to assist the youthful singers they have heard to find work. In other words, participating in OPERALIA is not only an honor, it is also a practical event that can be a real stepping-stone to a career.Previous Operalia winners include Ainhoa Arteta, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Joseph Calleja, José Cura, Joyce DiDonato, Giuseppe Filianoti, Elizabeth Futral, Joseph Kaiser, Inva Mula, Eric Owens, Erwin Schrott, Nina Stemme, Ludovic Tézier, Rolando Villazon and many other current stars of opera stages around the world.
On the subject of this competition, Plácido Domingo says:
"I am often asked how Operalia came into existence. Through the years, I have always taken a special interest in promising young singers, and I have thought a lot about the enormous difficulties these artists face as they start their careers. It has become clear to me that talent alone is not enough; it is also essential for young singers to come to the attention of those impresarios, managers, casting directors, conductors and stage directors who can further their professional careers.
"My purpose in Operalia is to help identify not only the best voices, but also to discover those singers whose personalities, characters and powers of interpretation show that they have the potential to become complete artists. Individuals such as these become tomorrow’s stars. This is why the jury is not exclusively made up of great singers but also includes general managers, stage directors and casting directors. The importance of the international jury of each Operalia competition has helped to create the necessary stir and has usually led to important engagements for these artists.
"I take great interest in the careers of the Operalia winners and follow them closely. I owe it not only to them but also to my friends who work so hard to make Operalia a reality each year."
