La soprano Yewon Han va néixer a Seong-Nam, Corea del Sud. Va començar els seus estudis a l'institut KayWon Arts el 2014. Es va llicenciar amb la màxima distinció a la Universitat Nacional de Seül el 2021. Va estudiar amb Attila Jun.
El debut operístic de Yewon Han va ser un 'Amahl' a "Amahl i els visitants nocturns" de Gian Carlo Menotti al Centre Sejong d'Arts Escèniques el 2018. Des d'aleshores, s'ha consolidat com a cantant d'òpera.
El 2019, Yewon va actuar com a 'Lauretta' a "Gianni Schicchi" de Puccini a la Universitat Nacional de Seül. Ella va fer una reeixida nit d'obertura a la producció de Paolo Panizza. Després d'aquesta actuació, va ser seleccionada per al paper de 'Papagena' a Die Zauberflöte de Mozart a l'Art Center Incheon el 2020.
Ha rebut nombrosos premis en concursos de renom nacional. El 2020, va guanyar el primer premi al JoongAng Music Concours, el Korean Voice Competition, el KBS KEPCO Music Competition i el Korean Classical Singers Association International Vocal Competition. A més, ha guanyat el Premi d'Or al Concurs Nacional d'Òpera de Corea (2020), el Primer Premi al Concurs de Música Vocal de Gwangju (2021) i el Gran Premi al Concurs de Música Vocal de Daegu (2021).
A l'estiu del 2021, Yewon va començar la seva carrera internacional. Va guanyar el tercer premi del Concurs Internacional de Cant Neue Stimmen 2021/2022 a Alemanya. També va guanyar el primer premi del Concurs Tenor Viñas (2023) a Espanya.
Yewon ha completat la seva temporada 2021/2022 com a Jove Artista a l'Estudi de l'Òpera Nacional de Corea. I començarà la seva temporada 2022/2024 com a Jove Artista de l'International Opera Studio a la Opernhaus Zürich.
Yulia Merkudinova, soprano lírica ucraïnesa de coloratura, amb brillants notes altes i càlid color de veu.
Es va graduar amb honors al Conservatori Txaikovski de Kíev (Ucraïna) i va continuar els seus estudis a Itàlia, on resideix actualment.
Ha guanyat nombrosos concursos internacionals i, l'últim, el 2n lloc del 60è Concurs Tenor Viñas, obtenint a més 4 premis més.
Ha actuat en teatres d'òpera de Ferrara, Pàdua, Treviso, Rovigo, Parma, Daegu (Corea del Sud), Reggio Emilia i Livorno.
El repertori de Yulia inclou papers com: Donna Anna ("Don Giovanni" de W.A.Mozart); Gilda ("Rigoletto" de G.Verdi); Norina ("Don Pasquale" de G. Donizetti); Adina ("L'Elisir d'amore" de G.Donizetti); Lakmé ("Lakmé" de L. Delibes); Juliette ("Romeu et Juliette" Ch. Gounod); Lucia ("Lucia di Lammermoor" de G.Donizetti); Rosina ("Il Barbiere di Siviglia" de G. Rossini); Adalgisa ("Norma" de V.Bellini); Giulia "La Scala di Seta" (G. Rossini).
Fa uns dies va acabar l'enregistrament d'un disc de música de cambra amb el famós director i pianista Leone Magiera, amb qui sovint estudia i col·labora.
Ha actuat amb aclamats artistes com, per exemple, Leo Nucci, Michele Pertusi, Fabio Armiliato, Simone Piazzola... i altres.
Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk
Soprano
Alemanya
Tercer Premi "Maria Esperança Salvans Piera", ofert per la Sra. Cristina Bertran Salvans.
60 Edició 2023
Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk va rebre quatre premis a l'edició 2023 del Concurs 'Tenor Viñas' de Barcelona, entre ells el tercer premi general i el premi a la millor intèrpret de Wagner.
Des de la temporada 2022/23 és membre de l'Opera Studio Internacional d'Òpera de l'Operanhaus de Zuric, on ja ha cantat la Prima Dama a Die Zauberflöte, Maria Bellacanta a Hexe Hillary geht in die Oper, i on cobreix papers principals com Tatjana a Evgenij Onegin i Agathe a Der Freischütz.
Ja ha debutat al Festival de Salzburg l'estiu del 2022, participant en tres produccions: Parsifal (Doncella de les flors), Kata Kabanová de Janáček, Lucia di Lammermoor (Alisa al costat de Lisette Oropesa i Benjamin Bernheim).
Nascuda a Hagen, Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk va començar els seus estudis a finals del 2014 amb Melanie Maennl, que segueix seguint-la com a professora. Va adquirir la seva primera experiència escènica com a solista infantil al Theater Hagen, on va actuar en diverses òperes, entre elles Die Zauberflöte, The cunning little fox i Der Rosenkavalier, amb el director musical Mestre Florian Ludwig al podi.
Durant els seus estudis a la Hochschule für Musik de Detmold amb Markus Köhler i Manuel Lange, entre el 2018 i el 2022, va tenir l'oportunitat d'interpretar el paper de la Comtessa d'Almaviva a Le nozze di Figaro i de cantar com a solista la Novena Simfonia de Beethoven .
Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk s'ha distingit en nombrosos concursos internacionals de cant: el 2022 va rebre la beca atorgada pels tres principals teatres d'òpera de Berlín al Bundeswettbewerb Gesang de Berlín, el 2021 va guanyar el concurs "Iris Adami Corradetti" de Pàdua i el "Concurs Internacional de Lied Brahms" de Pörtschach a Àustria, el 2019 va guanyar el Concurs Internacional "Giuli Perotti" com a Gran Premi en totes les categories, premi especial a la millor interpretació d'un lied alemany i premi especial com a "veu extraordinària". També és graduada de la Kammeroper Schloss a Rheinsberg.
Els seus propers compromisos a l'Òpera de Zuric són Macbeth, Die lustige Witwe i Die Wallküre (Ortlinde).
El tenor Anthony Ciaramitaro continua cridant l'atenció pel seu càlid so italianitzant i la presència escènica convincent. El 2023, el Sr. Ciaramitaro va fer el seu debut a l'escenari principal com Fenton a Falstaff a l'Òpera de Palm Beach, torna a l'Òpera de Los Angeles com a Cassio a Otello, i fa el seu debut internacional com Alfredo Germont a La Traviata al Festival d'Òpera de Macerata a Itàlia, sota la direcció del Mestre Domenico Longo. El 2022, Sr. Ciaramitaro va debutar professionalment en l'exigent paper de Giorgio a l'estrena mundial de Garden of Finzi-Continis de Ricky Ian Gordon amb Nova York City Opera, Arturo a Lucia di Lammermoor amb LA Opera, i va debutar a la Metropolitan Opera com Il Messaggero a Aïda.
El Sr. Ciaramitaro va ser Artista Jove Domingo-Coburn-Stein a l'Òpera de Los Angeles, on va interpretar Il Messaggero a Aida, Heinrich der Schreiber a Tannhäuser, Ruiz a Il Trovatore i Lord Cecil a Roberto Devereux. El Sr. Ciaramitaro va ser membre inaugural de la Renée Fleming Fellowship al Festival Musical d'Aspen, on va debutar com a Tamino a Die Zauberflöte. En temporades anteriors, va actuar com a Artista Aprenent a l'Òpera de Santa Fe, com a Artista Aprenent a l'Òpera de Palm Beach i com a Artista d'Estudi a l'Òpera d'Arizona, interpretant el Comte Almaviva a Il barbiere di Siviglia i el Governador/Vanderdendur a Candide. Com a membre del Merola Opera Program, Sr. Ciaramitaro va interpretar Don Ramiro a La Cenerentola, i ha estat Artista d'Estudi amb Chautauqua Opera i Wolf Trap Opera.
En competició, Sr. Ciaramitaro va ser guardonat amb el 4t Premi Oficial, el Premi Plácido Domingo Tenor i el Premi Especial Verdi al 60è Concurs Tenor Viñas, va guanyar el Premi CulturArte a Operalia 2022, el 2n lloc al Concurs Vocal Internacional Butler Opera 2022, el 3r lloc en Concurs Vocal Nacional Lorhen L. Zachary 2022, el 2n lloc al Concurs Vocal Palm Springs Opera Guild 2021 i el 3r lloc al Concurs Vero Beach Opera Rising Stars.
La soprano Julia Muzychenko ha guanyat recentment el 5è Premi del Concurs Tenor Viñas, el Gran Premi del Concurs Internacional d'Òpera de Clermont Ferrand, el 2on Premi del Concurs Monserrat Caballé i el Concurs "Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (1r lloc i premi del públic) , el 55'Concorso Internazionale Voci Verdiane città di Bussetto, el Concurs Internacional "Òpera de Tenerife" (1r lloc i premi del públic) i el Concurs Eva Marton (3r lloc).
Els seus compromisos actuals i futurs inclouen el seu debut com a Princesa del Cigne (El conte del Tsar Saltan) amb l'Opéra national du Rhin, Violetta (La Traviata) amb el Teatre Comunale di Bologna i un concert amb la Stuttgarter Philharmoniker al Festival de Heidenheim.
Recentment ha cantat Gilda (Rigoletto), Nanetta (Falstaff) i Norina (Don Pasquale) amb l'Òpera Nacional de Montpeller, el paper principal de Lakme amb el Festival Les Nuit Lyriques de Marmande, Oksana (La nit abans de la nit de Nadal) amb l'Òpera de Frankfurt, que va ser gravada i distribuïda en DVD per Naxos. A més, ha cantat Amina (La Sonnambula) amb l'Òpera de Limoges, l'Òpera d'Avignon i l'Òpera de Metz.
Recentment ha format part del Junges Ensemble de l'Òpera Semper de Dresden, on ha interpretat els papers de Musetta (La Boheme), Olympia (Les Contes d'Hoffmann) i Papagena (Die Zauberflöte).
Muzychenko també va ser seleccionada com a solista al famós Semper Opernball 2020.
A més, va actuar com a Violetta Valery (La Traviata) al Festival Verdi de Bussetto ia l'Òpera de Tenerife.
Muzychenko ha completat la seva formació com a membre del Programa de Joves Artistes del Teatre Bolshoi i de l'Acadèmia Vocal de la Houston Grand Opera.
La soprano russoamericana Erika Baikoff és una graduada recent del Programa Lindemann de Desenvolupament de Joves Artistes de la Metropolitan Opera, durant el qual va debutar al MET cantant Xènia a Boris Godunov de Mussorgsky. Altres compromisos recents inclouen el sol de soprano a la Missa en si menor de Bach amb l'Orchestre Métropolitain, Woglinde a Das Rheingold amb l'Orquestra Filharmònica de Rotterdam, recitals amb el festival Schubertíada a Espanya i concerts amb la Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Erika és guanyadora del primer premi del Concours International de Chant-Piano Nadia et Lili Boulanger, Helmet Deutsch Liedwettbewerb, George London Foundation Awards i Mondavi Young Artist Competition.
Soprano Gemma Summerfield graduated from the Royal College of Music International Opera Studio in 2016. Continuing to work closely with Rosa Mannion she has enjoyed honing her craft across a wide range of repertoire. Highlights on the Operatic Stage include Mimì (La bohème, Northern Ireland Opera), Nanetta (Falstaff, Scottish Opera), Pamina (The Magic Flute, Glyndebourne & Scottish Opera), Paula Jordan (Dinner at Eight, Wexford Festival Opera) Rodelinda (Rodelinda, cover, English National Opera) Michal (Saul, cover, Glyndebourne Festival Opera), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Ginevra (Ariodante) and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). This season will see Gemma perform Fiordiligi in Così fan Tutte for Opéra national du Rhin and make her Wigmore Hall Recital Debut.
Gemma consistently proves her capabilities on platforms around the world. In recent recitals she has performed throughout the UK, and in Norway, Canada and Denmark. Oratorio Performances include Beethoven in Switzerland, Bach in Beirut and Mozart in Westminster Abbey. This Season she will debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mozart Concert Orchestra and in recital with Duo Partner Sebastian Wybrew.
Using competition platforms regularly to cement her standing amongst her peers, Gemma was awarded First Prize in the Concorso Lirico Internazionale de Portofino 2019, ‘swept the board’ at the 2015 Kathleen Ferrier Awards winning both 1st Prize and the Loveday Song Prize , and was the only British finalist in the inaugural Glyndebourne Cup and the 2018 Concours Musical International de Montreal.
Also a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians having been awarded the Silver Medal, Gemma holds the current Susan Chilcott award, administered by the Royal Philharmonic Society and is a Carne Scholar.
Eugénie Joneau
Mezzo-soprano
France
Second Prize offered by the group Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
59 Edition 2022
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Eugénie is a french mezzo-soprano who studied in Lyon with Pierre Ribémont. Then, she perfected herself in different repertoire with Anaïk Morel, Françoise Pollet, Irene Kudela, Marie-Claude Papion and Antoine Palloc.
In 2018, she won the 1st Opera Prize and the 1st Melody Prize at the 25th International Opera Competition in Mâcon. She made her debut as the 3rd Lady (Die Zauberflöte), under the baton of Quentin Hindley.
In 2019/20, she became a member of the Opera Studio, supervised by Vincent Monteil in the Opera National du Rhin where she performed in Rusalka (3rd Nymph), and in L’Heure Espagnole (Concepcion).
In 2020/21, she was Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, The German Mother/The Danish Lady/The Newspaper seller in Death in Venice and Kate Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly.
In 2021/22, she became a member of the opera company, Opera Fuoco, supervised by David Stern and she sang in the Charity Concert of Unisson Association at Opéra Comique in Paris.
She was a finalist of the "Ottavio Ziino" competition in Roma and then, she sang les Fables de Jean de La Fontaine under the baton of Roberto Kalb.
At the end of October 2021, she won the 1st Prize "Révélations" of the 6th Competition Jeunes Espoirs Raymond Duffaut in Avignon.
She continued with the prestigious Academia "Bel Canto" of la Fondation des Treilles where she worked with Ivan Alexandre, Julien Benhamou, Alain Perroux and the great Patrizia Ciofi.
At the end of January 2022, she won the 2nd Prize, the zarzuela's prize and 3 others in the form of contracts of the 59th Tenor Viñas Competition in Barcelona.
Then, she won a Victoire de la Musique Classique 2022 in the category "Révélation Artiste Lyrique" .
In May 2022, she will sing Karolka in Jenůfa at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
During the summer, she will have the opportunity to sing for "Musiques en fête" at The Théâtre Antique d'Orange and after, she will be at the festival "L'offrande musicale" with David Fray.
Her season will end with 3 recitals alongside Florent Lattuga.
"My experience at the 59th Tenor Vinas Contest : It has been such an emotionnal journey ! I met a lot of talented and beautiful artists and the team of the Ténor Vinas Contest was so kind.
This experience was a big step in my career and i'll never forget it. Thank you for everything !!!!! "
San Francisco Classical Voice hails South Korean tenor SeokJong Baek for his “warm, beautifully modulated voice”, Mr. Baek is the 1st Place winner of the 2021 Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition, 1st Prize, Audience Award and Enrico Caruso Award winner of the 2021 Vincero World Singing Competition, 3rd Prize, audience prize and Placido Domingo Prize-winner of the 59th Tenor Viñas Competition, and 3rd Price winner of the 2021 Iris Adami Corradetti International Competition. This season, he makes his role and house debut in the title role in Samson et Dalila the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, and also joins Palm Springs Opera in concert singing arias from Turandot, Tosca, Carmen and La Gioconda. Next season, he will make his Prague State Opera debut singing his first performances of Calaf in Turandot, Canio in Pagliacci and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana, make his Arizona Opera debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca, and join the roster of the Metropolitan Opera.
“I would love to give the greatest glory to God who is my great supporter! Without him, I could not be able to make a succeeding transition of my voice.
I could see every singer’s dreams were fulfilled. And i found out myself how happy i was and enjoying the every moment of it. It was so rewarding to get the audience choice and tenor Domingo prize.
The days of The Tenor Viñas competition at Gran teatre del Liceu was so fun and delightful. This competition is a great stepping-stone for next career.”
Aleksei Kulagin
Bass
Russia
Fourth Prize offerde by “Verse App”, “Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona”, and in memoriam of Javier Villavecchia and Marta Obregón, by “Villasa S.L”.
59 Edition 2022
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Aleksei Kulagin was born in Orel. Aleksei was soloist in musical theater Zazerkalie (2018-2019). In 2019 he graduated from the St Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire and joined the Young Artist Program of the Bolshoi Theatre under the Head of the Program Prof. Dmitry Vdovin.
He has participated in masterclasses with Neil Shikoff, Evamaria Wieser, Robert Koerner, Sergei Leiferkus, Ernesto Palacio, Placido Domingo, Ildar Abdrazakov. He worked with Luba Orfenova, Mzia Bakhtouridze, Semyon Skigin, Ivari Ilija, conducters Tugan Sokhiev, Alexander Solovjov, Dmitry Korchak, Mikhail Sinkevich, Philipp Chizhevsky, Anton Grishanin, Pavel Klinichev.
Aleksei perfomed more than 20 operatic roles include Masetto in Don Giovanni. King Rene in Iolanta, Bertrand, Sobakin in The Tsar’s Bride, Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin, Marchese d'Obign in La Traviata, Grandfather Frost, Bermyata in The Snow Maiden, Bonze in Madama Butterfly, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Angelotti in Tosca by Puccini, Aleko and the Old Gypsy in Rachmaninoff’s Aleko.
Performed at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Zaryadye hall, the St Petersburg Philharmonia, the Opera House Gran Teatre del Liceu the Georgian National Opera and Ballet Theater the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella, chamber hall of Mariinsky theatre, The Moscow State Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre and other Russian venues.
Aleksei was awarded in
The 59th Tenor Viñas International Singing Contest (Barcelona, 2022, lV Prize)
THE OPERA CROWN, International Voice Competition (Tbilisi, 2021, l Prize 2021)
The Vlll Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Singers Competition (Moscow, 2021, l Prize)
Second Prize in The Xlll Elena Obraztsova International Competition of Young Opera Singers (St. Petersburg, 2021, II Prize)
The International Vocal Competition «José Carreras Grand Prix» (Moscow, 2021, I Prize)
Blake Denson
Baritone
United States
Fifth Prize offered by the group Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
59 Edition 2022
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One of the most exciting vocal talents to emerge in recent seasons globally, baritone Blake Denson, is praised for his "captivating dramatic interpretations" with “a striking upper register “and "a sound that boomed to the back of the house” (Opera Wire). Recently, Mr. Denson was named a winner of the George London Foundation Competition, The International Concurs Tenor Viñas Competition, and the winner in The Dallas Opera National Vocal Competition. Mr. Denson was also a Grand Finalist winner of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
His roles and appearances in his first years in Houston Grand Opera included Peter in Hansel und Gretel, Soloist in Giving Voice, Soloist in Suite Español, and Daddy/Tim in the world premier of The Snowy Day. In the 2021/22 season he can be seen as Gregorio in Roméo et Juliette, Jailor in Dialogues des Carmélites, and Morales after being canceled because of Covid19 in Carmen. This season he will also make is Company debut with Des Moines Metro Opera sing the role of Jake in a new production of Porgy and Bess.
In the upcoming season Mr. Denson will fest with the Staatsoper Hamburg while also being contracted around the world. Some of the houses Mr. Denson will perform with in future seasons include: The Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Sante Fe Opera, Opera de National Paris, Bayerische Staatsoper, English National Opera, Staatsoper Hamburg, Washington National Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Houston Symphony, and Paducah Symphony.
Denson is an alumnus of Wolf Trap Opera, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and the University of Kentucky. His awards include Winner of the George London Foundation, The International Concurs Tenor Viñas Competition, Grand Finalist Winner of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, First Prize/Legacy Award in National Opera Association, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, The Orpheus Vocal Competition, The Perfect Day competition, The Pasadena Vocal Competition, Partners in Arts Vocal Competition, Annapolis Vocal Competition, Opera Ithaca Vocal Competition, and Opera Mississippi Opera Competition.
Paride Cataldo
Tenor
Italy
Sixth Prize offered by the group Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas, Mr. Joaquim Zamacois and Ms. Patricia Malet.
59 Edition 2022
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Young Italian tenor Paride Cataldo is quickly becoming recognized for his rich, lyric voice and captivating stage presence after winning the Verdi Prize at the 2022 Tenor Viñas International Singing Competition in Barcelona, second prize at the 2021 Concorso Internazionale Lirico Ottavio Ziino in Rome and first prize at the 2018 L’Assoluta Virginia Zeani Competition in Romania.
Recent and forthcoming engagements include making his Irish National Opera debut in the title of Werther; his Teatro alla Scala debut as Un Servo di Amelia Un ballo in maschera, the tenor soloist in Ramírez’s Misa Criolla at Teatro Carlo Felice, Rodolfo La bohème at the Festival Internazionale delle Arti, Gabriele D'Annunzio in the world premiere of Willem Jeths’ Ritratto at the Dutch National Opera, Alfredo La Traviata at the Teatro Politeama Greco Lecce and on tour in a special collaboration with the Teatro Regio di Parma.
He began his musical studies at the age of eight, joining the children's choir of Teatro di San Carlo in Naples. After years of studying opera singing with his father, in 2015 he met his current teacher, the tenor Salvatore Cordella, who admitted him to his Germogli d'Arte Academy. There, he was awarded best student of the Academy, which allowed him to make his debut at the VII edition of the Festival Internazionale delle Arti, performing the role of Alfredo La traviata, directed by M. Sergio La Stella.
Following this, he was invited to carry out periods of study at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and at the Teatr Wielki Opera Noradowa in Warsaw, Poland, where he subsequently performed in various opera concerts.
"It was a great honour for me to have been able to sing in this wonderful Competition and in front of a wonderful audience, meeting beautiful people and great colleagues. Experiencing moments that I will always carry with me, where the most important thing was to honour the Opera."
Carmen Artaza
Mezzosoprano
Spain
Grand Prize Tenor Viñas offered by the Fundació Puig and the Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu.
58 Edition 2021
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Born in San Sebastián, Spain, Carmen Artaza began her musical training by playing the violin at the Francisco Escudero Conservatory and singing in the Araoz Gazte Choir. The young mezzo-soprano is currently studying with Professor Michelle Breedt at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt. The winner of the first prize of the 58th Tenor Viñas Contest was also awarded 5 other prizes, among which were the Mozart prize and the audience prize. In January 2020, the mezzo-soprano won the first prize at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Hochschulwettbewerb in Berlin. In 2018 she won the Audience Award, the Young Talents Award and the First Prize at the Luis Mariano International Competition in Spain. In the summer of 2019, Carmen makes her debut at the Salzburger Festsiele playing the role of Bradamante in the new children's composition Gesang der Zauberinsel, as part of the Young Singers Project of the Salzburg Festival. Artaza has performed both opera and concert in theaters such as the Barbican Center in London or the Berlin Philharmonic and she has worked with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Bavarian Chamber Orchestra, the Munich Symphony or the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra. At a 2018 BBC total immersion concert, Carmen performed and recorded Enrique Granados' La maja dolorosa I, II, III for BBC3.
"The 58th edition of the Viñas Contest has been a special event, especially in the conditions of pandemic in which it has been celebrated. Being able to sing before a so professional jury and above all, in front of a magnificent audience has fetched this week an event that I will never forget. I am feeling full of gratitude, of music and of joy after these days full of feelings. For me singing in the stage of the Liceu has been fulfilling a dream that I will not forget."
Olga Syniakova
Mezzosoprano
Ukraine
Second Prize offered by the group Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
58 Edition 2021
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Ukrainian mezzo-soprano Olga Syniakova is a graduate of the Dnipro Academy of Music where she received Bachelor degrees in Vocal Performance, vocal teacher. Ms. Syniakova was studying in opera studio Placido Domingo in Valencia from September 2017 till July 2019. There she made concerts and masterclasses and various roles as Ernesto from Il Mondo della Luna, Second lady from The Magic Flute , Laura from Iolanta, Alisa from Lucia di Lammermoor. Olga Syniakova took part in the Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle, conducted by Fabio Biondi. After the same project she sang with huge orchestra Europa Galante conductor Fabio Biondi in St. Petri Dom Bremen where this masterpiece closed Bremen Musikfest in September 2018. Ms. Syniakova has an award “The best mezzo-soprano of season 2018-2019” in Palau de les Arts (Valencia, Spain). In 2020 she made her debut in Real Filharmonía de Galicia in role Orphée (Orphée et Eurydice).
“It was amazing, full of joy, happiness and pleasure week in Barcelona! I met my friends with whom I started my professional development in Valencia in Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo and during the competition I made a lot of new friends. The atmosphere between participants was friendly, supportive! It is sad that this time we could not hug, make toï toï toï presents, couldn’t see smiles of each other, but our eyes shine even more expressive now! I had real luck because I could make music with the best pianist Stanislav Angelov and this triumph I would like to share with him!”
Germán Enrique Alcántara
Baritone
Argentina
Third Prize "Maria Esperança Salvans Piera", offered by Ms. Cristina Bertran Salvans.
58 Edition 2021
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Born in Misiones (Argentina), Germán E. Alcántara began his studies at the School of Music in Misiones receiving the diploma of Professor of Arts: Music. Later he studied at the University of Cuyo (Mendoza), Maîtrise de Notre-Dame de Paris (under Rosa Dominguez) and the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid (with Ryland Davies). He is currently studying for a Doctorate in Music and Performance, with the project “Cantocando: challenges of self-accompaniment”, at the University of Aveiro - Portugal.
Graduated from the Jette Parker Young Artist Program at the Royal Opera House in London, where he debuted in the 2018/19. During the 2019/20 season he appears again as Wagner (Faust) in "ROH-Japan", in addition to: Steersman (Tristan und Isolde) and Prince Yamadori (Madama Butterfly). His awards include Golden Medal (high distinction) of the 5th Manhathan Competition 2020, Laureat in Queen Elizabeth Competition 2018, First Prize in the Bach Joven Competition in Paraguay, Second Prize in the Competition for Young Students of Lyrical Singing in Buenos Aires, Premier Prix in Concours Lyrique International ad Alta Voce in Paris and Priz Artifex Proart in the Zarzuela Contest of Valleseco, Spain.
“Perhaps one of the most important adventures in these times, being able to participate in this contest; singing for such a warm and grateful audience is the greatest award a singer can dream of! That Spain is today the standard of the Opera on the international level and this Viñas Contest its standard bearer are not coincidences when the people loves the lyrical art so much and when there are people willing to move heaven and earth to keep the flame alive. My deep thanks to the organization, for this contest and for these wonderful awards; to the jury and to the much loved public. I hope to meet you again soon!!”
Vasily Sokolov
Baritonw
Russia
Fourth Prize offerde by “Verse App”, “Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona”, and in memoriam of Javier Villavecchia and Marta Obregón, by “Villasa S.L”.
58 Edition 2021
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Vasily Sokolov was born on January 20, 1995 in the city of Irkutsk. In 2011, he entered the Fryderyk Chopin College of Music in the department of academic vocal. In 2015, he graduated from college and entered the GITIS Faculty of Musical Theater on the course of Andres Zhagars, in the same year he took the academy for military service on conscription. He served in the Alexandrov Ensemble, performed at various venues around the world. Since 2017, he has been a soloist of the B. A. Pokrovsky Chamber Music Theater (since September 2018, the Chamber Stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia).
"I really liked the contest! It was a huge experience for me! The organization was at the highest level! The accommodation was comfortable! The concertmaster was a wonderful musician! Thank you very much! I'll never forget it!!"
Chuan Wang
Tenor
China
Fifth Prize offered by the group Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
58 Edition 2021
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Chuan Wang was born in Luoyang, China, and started learning singing at 17. He graduated from Xinghai Conservatory of Music, Milan Verdi Conservatory, and La Scala Accademia. He won the First Prizes in the 7th Salvatore Licitra International Lyric Opera Competition and the Second Prizes in the 5th Portofino International Lyric Opera Competition.
From 2017 to 2020, he performed many roles in La Scala, such as Almaviva from the children’s version of Il Barbiere di Siviglia; Nemorino from the children’s version of L’elisir d’amore; Ramiro from the children’s version of La Cenerentola; Calaf from Cherubini’s Alì Babà ; Rinuccio from Gianni Schicchi and the Duke from Rigoletto. In 2021, he will sing Ernesto from Don Pasquale in Parma Opera House and Gernando and Ubaldo from Armida in Marseille Opera.
"It was a wonderful experience to take part in the 58th Viñas competition. The organization was perfect, especially considering the current situation with COVID-19. I’m incredible grateful to everyone who worked so hard to make the music happen and I would like to thank the distinguished jury for the prizes and helpful advice. Congratulations to all the young singers who took part in the competition and I wish them all the best in their future careers."
Inna Demenkova
Soprano
Russia
Sixth Prize offered by the group Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas, Mr. Joaquim Zamacois and Ms. Patricia Malet.
58 Edition 2021
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Inna Demenkova studied at the Moscow Regional Basic Music College named after A. N. Scriabin (Professor's class Nikulina N. B.) and V. S. Popov Academy of Choral Art (Professor N. B. Nikulina.). She is winner of numerous prizes at international and national competitions, including the 6th Pize and the special prize for the performance of the Russian repertoire in the 58 International Singing Contest Tenor Viñas (Barcelona, Spain), Abdrazakovfest 2020 educational program (Moscow), Grand Prix winner of the VI All-Russian Sobinov vocal competition and Opera Competition Golden Autumn in Chengdu, China.
Recent highlights include the closing of the Abdrazakovfesti festival – Gala Verdi (Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory) and the performance “Amadeus. Laboratory of Opera” (Novaya Opera Theater) in 2020; Spiritual concert (P. I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall), educational tour “Masterpieces of world culture” in 23 cities of Russia and Gran Opera Gala Concert (Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory) in 2019.
Demenkova’s opera repertory includes: recitative and aria of Donna Elvira from Don Giovanni, Amalia’s aria and stretta from I Masnadieri, Musetta’s Waltz from La Boheme, The romance of Antonia from Les contes d’Hoffmann, Rimsky-Korsakov aria.
Victoria Karkacheva
Mezzosoprano
Russia
Grand prize Tenor Viñas offered by the Fundació Puig and the Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu.
56 Edition
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From Volgograd, Victoria is currently of member of the prestigious Young Artist Programme at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia where she has appeared as Aglaya in a new production of Weinberg’s The Idiot and Third wood sprite in new production of Rusalka with Ainars Rubikis. Victoria has toured extensively with the Bolshoi, with performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington and across France.
Recent highlights include Dritte dame in Die Zauberflöte conducted by Stanislav Kochanovsky, and Stimme von oben in Die Frau ohne Schatten with Valery Gergiev at the Verbier Festival, and the Mozart Requiem with the Athens Philharmonic. This season Victoria will make her US debut as Olga in Eugene Onegin at Palm Beach Opera, and will sing Stravinsky's Les noces with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra.
Natalia Kutateladze
Mezzosoprano
Georgia
Second prize offered by Grup d’Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
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Natalia Kutateladze, born in Georgia, studied singing at the Juilliard School of Music in New York with Edith Wiens. The mezzo-soprano was able to gain numerous stage experiences both in her home country and abroad. So she was, among others, to experience as Ottone (Agrippina) in a Juilliard production and as Mercédès (Carmen) at the Tbilisi State Opera. In addition, she participated in various competitions and master classes, including the Metropolitan Opera House Council Audition and the IMA - International Mastersinger Academy. In the 2018/19 season she was a member of the Opera Studio of the Bavarian State Opera.
Yaritza Véliz
Soprano
Chile
Third prize “Maria Esperança Salvans Piera” offered by Ms. Cristina Bertran Salvans.
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Baritone Insik Choi received his first vocal training in Seoul Yonsei University with Professor Kwan-dong Kim and completed his studies at the Conservatory Cologne. In 2014 he performed Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème in South Korea. He made his debut as Marcello in La Bohème at the Oper Köln. Since 2015 he has been a member of the Opera Studio of the Cologne. After the season 2017/18 he has been working as an ensemble. He plans to Le nozze di Figaro, La traviata and Carmen in the 20/21 season. He is a winner of the Tenerife International Vocal Competition and the Fourth Official Prize in Tenor Viñas Competition in Barcelona, Audience Prize.
"It was really great experience to me singing in the Viñas competition. The audience in Barcelona was fantastic, I really appreciate that. I was so honoured to receive my awards, and even more humbled to sing with the Liceu orchestra in the Final Concert and I learned so many things on the stage with conductor and my pianist. Thanks to Tenor Viñas Competition and Liceu Theatre for a good memory."
Melissa Zgouridi
Mezzosoprano
EUA
Fifth prize, offered by Grup Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
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Brazilian-American mezzo-soprano/alto Melissa Zgouridi is the winner of various awards including the Fulbright Grant and First Place in the Friends of Eastman Opera Vocal Competition. She was a New Orleans District Winner in the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In January 2020, Melissa won 5th prize and the “Mercedes Viñas” extraordinary prize at the 57th International Tenor Viñas Singing Competition in Barcelona.
Her recent performance highlights include the alto solo in Matthäus-Passion (Bach) and Petite messe solennelle (Rossini) in the Netherlands, Lehrbuben in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) conducted by Christian Thielemann and directed by Jens-Christian Herzog at the Salzburg Easter Festival, and Roßweiße in a concert version of Die Walküre (Wagner) with the Staatstheater Augsburg in Germany.
Melissa graduated with distinction from the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg (Austria) in 2018 with a Master’s Degree in Lied and Oratorio. Melissa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York (USA).
"I had such a wonderful time at the Viñas Competition. I loved getting to meet talented singers from all over the world and having the opportunity to sing each round not only in front of such a renown jury but also an enthusiastic audience made it all the better. It was an honor to have received two prizes at the competition and to get to sing with the orchestra on the stage of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. All in all, the Viñas Competition was a thrilling experience that I will continue to carry with me wherever I go."
Maria Brea
Soprano
Venezuela
Sixth prize, offered by Hoteles Catalonia and Grup Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
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Maria Brea, soprano, a native of Caracas, Venezuela. In 2020 Maria Brea makes her debut as Francisquita in Carmen at Rose Theater at Lincoln Center with MasterVoices. She sings soprano solo in Carmina Burana with MasterVoices. In fall, 2019, Ms. Brea debuted with New Camerata Opera singing the role of Elena in the zarzuela El barbero de Sevilla. This past summer, Maria was a Stern Fellow at Songfest and debuted with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. Last spring, Ms. Brea made her Opera Tampa debut singing the title role in Maestro Anton Coppola's Lady Swanwhite, premiere. Maria won first prize in the Giulio Gari 17and New York Lyric Opera 16.
In preparation is the Massenet Manon and Elvira in I puritani in 2022-23.
"The whole experience was incredible! I have never been to Europe in my life and when I was selected for the second round I was in shock. The organization and the singers were incredibly supportive and warm. This was a dream come true and I’m forever grateful and humbled. I can still remember seeing the Liceu from the stage and it’s a warming and beautiful memory."
Aigul Khismatullina
Soprano
Russia
Grand prize Tenor Viñas offered by the Fundació Puig and the Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu.
56 Edition, 2019
Aigul Khismatullina was born in Naberezhnye Chelny (Republic of Tatarstan). In 2014 she graduated from the Kazan State Zhiganov Conservatory (class of Klara Khayrutdinova), following which she undertook an assistant traineeship under Albina Shagimuratova (2014–2016). Since 2016 she has been a soloist at the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in Vladivostok. In 2017 she became a grant-recipient of the Atkins Young Artists Program Fellowship at the Mariinsky Theatre. She made her Mariinsky Theatre debut as The Nightingale in Stravinsky's opera Le Rossignol.
• Prize-winner at the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition (2019, 2nd prize)
• Prize-winner at the 56th International Tenor Viñas Singing Contest (Barcelona, 2019, 1st prize)
• Prize-winner at the All-Russian Music Competition (2014, Moscow, 1st prize)
Iván Ayon
Tenor
Perú
Grand prize Tenor Viñas offered by the Fundació Puig and the Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu.
56 Edition, 2019
Ivan Ayon Rivas was born in 1993 in Perù. He studied opera under the tutelage of María Eloisa Aguirre at the National Conservatory of Music of Perù. He pursued his studies with Juan Diego Florez, Ernesto Palacio, Vincenzo Scalera, Maurizio Colaccichi and Luigi Alva. He is currently studying in Italy with baritone Roberto Servile.
In November 2014 he made his debut in Ludwigshafen/BASF in a Gala with Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala, in the benefit concert of Juan Diego Florez, under the baton of Fabio Luisi.
He sang in Mercadante’s Francesca Rimini at the Festival della Valle d’Itria in Martina Franca conducted by Fabio Luisi, where he came back the following year in Un giorno di regno.
• Prize-winner at the Peruvian national Competition for Opera Singers (2013, 2nd prize)
• Prize-winner at the 1st Concorso Internazionale di Canto “Premio Etta Limiti” (2015, 1st prize)
• Prize-winner at the 56th International Tenor Viñas Singing Contest (Barcelona, 2019, 1st prize)
Liv Redpath
Soprano
USA
Second prize offered by Grup d’Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
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During the 2018/19 season, Liv Redpath makes her role debut as Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel conducted by James Conlon at the Los Angeles Opera. She will sing a concert of Handel and Rameau arias with Christophe Rousset, reprise the role of Zerbinetta in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos for Cincinnati Opera, and cover Bess in Breaking the Waves at the Edinburgh International Festival. Concert appearances include Mozart’s Requiem and Kirchner’s Songs of Ascent with Los Angeles Master Chorale at Walt Disney Concert Hall, in addition to Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges as Le feu/la princesse/le rossignol with the Pacific Symphony. Past seasons include Zerbinetta in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos at The Santa Fe Opera, L’amour in John Neumeier’s new production of Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice, as well as Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann with the Los Angeles Opera. Additional concert appearances include Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Vivaldi’s Gloria with Seattle Symphony, as well as Poulenc’s Gloria, Vaughan-Williams’ Hodie, and Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall.
"The Liceu was the first major European opera stage I've had the pleasure to sing on, and even the lights from the boxes smile at you here! I was so honored to receive my awards, and even more humbled to sing with the Liceu orchestra in the Final Concert. It was a complete joy to sing Mozart and Bellini in this idyllic setting with a lively and engaged audience; a moment in time I will not soon forget".
Long Long
Tenor
China
Third prize offered by Associació de Liceites 4t i 5è pis, Buffet Bergós and Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona.
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Winner of the third prize at Tenor Vinas Singing Contest in 2019, the Chinese tenor Long Long is considered one of the most promising lyric tenors of his generation. He is a winner of the Grand Prix de l’Opera in Bucharest 2016, Giovani Voci Verdiane in Busseto 2017, and finalist at Operalia 2018 in Lisbon. In 2017 he was participating to Georg Solti Accademia in Italy. Since 2017 Long Long has been a member of the Opera Studio of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. From the season 2019/20 Long Long will be a member of the Staatsoper Hannover.
"This competition is of great significance to me. Being able to win an award is a major leap forward for my career. In each round of competition, I really enjoyed the process of this competition and I was trying to calm down and show my best. I think I also got a good workout and improvement during this competition".
Jaka Mihelac
Baríton
Slovenia
Fourth prize “Maria Esperança Salvans Piera” offered by Ms. Cristina Bertran Salvans.
Jaka Mihelac studied at the Music academy Ljubljana in class of prof. Matjaž Robavs. He is winner of numerous prizes at international and national competitions, including the fourth prize and two special prizes at the 56th Tenor Viñas competition in Barcelona (2019), the Will Keune prize in the finals of the 37th Hans Gabor Belvedere competition (2018), the first prize and a special prize at the Ferruccio Tagliavini competition in Deutschlandsberg (2018), and the first prize at the Slovenian national singing competition (2016).
In 2018 he has made a debut as Yamadori (G. Puccini – Madama Butterfly) in the Slovene National Theater in Ljubljana and as Ottokar (C. M. Webber – Der Freischütz) at the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg. In 2017 he has debuted in a scenic performance of C. Orff's Carmina Burana, produced by Echo Classic in Berlin. From 2016 he has performed main roles in four premieres of Slovenian operas. As a soloist he has performed with Staatskapelle Berlin, Berliner Symphoniker, Slovenian Phillharmonic Orchestra, Slovene National Theatre Ljubljana Orchestra and others. From season 2019/20 he is a member of the International Opera Studio at the Berlin Staatsoper.
Valentyna Pluzhnikova
Mezzosoprano
Ukraine
Fifth prize, offered by Grup Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
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In 2016 Valentyna Pluzhnikova made her debut at the Theatre of the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy (Kiev, Ukraine) with the role of Flora in Verdi's La traviata. Since 2016 she regularly takes part in productions of the National Tchaikovsky Opera studio (Kiev, Ukraine). In September 2017 she joined the Academia Operowa of the Polish National Theatre in Warsaw. On January 1, 2019 she took part in the Gala Lirico di Capodanno at the Teatro Verdi Firenze (Italy) with Orchestra della Toscana. At the moment Pluzhnikova is a fourth -year student at the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine with Gennady Kabka. In summer 2019 she will take part in the Young Singers Project of Salzburg festival.
Competitions: V International Singing Competition Perls of Art (I Prize); 24 International Competition for Opera Singers Ferruccio Tagliavini (finalist); III International Eva Marton Singing Competition (finalist); Bartok Plus Opera Festival Miskolc (special prize); XXIX Concorso Lirico Internationale Iris Adami Corradetti (II Prize); 56 Tenor Viñas Contest (V Prize, Extraordinary prize Festival Castell de Pelarada).
"I'm very proud that in my 22 years I am the winner of V Prize of such a famous competition Tenor Viñas Contest. The contest has left wonderful memories and gave me great opportunities and prospects for further career growth".
Siman Chung
Contratenor
South Corea
Sixth prize, offered by Hoteles Catalonia and Grup Amics del Concurs Tenor Viñas.
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A native of Busan, South Korea, Siman Chung returned to the Metropolitan Opera this season for its production of Nico Muhly’s Marnie. In 2018, he sang the title role in the Berlioz edition of Gluck’s Orphée with Opera Columbus, in Toronto, and at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Mr. Chung joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera, participating in the company premiere of Thomas Adès’s The Exterminating Angel. He appeared with Korean National Opera in Vivaldi’s Orlando fintzo pazzo. In 2015, Chung made his Carnegie Hall debut singing Handel’s Messiah. In 2017, he made his New York recital debut in Presented by Opera Index, as a winner of its major prize. In 2018, he made his Lincoln Center debut singing the role of Fileno from Clori, Tirsi e Fileno by Händel. He also received first prize of the Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition in New York, the sixth Official Prize in Tenor Viñas Competition in Barcelona, Spain and a grant from the Sullivan Foundation.
"It was such a great experience for me singing in the Viñas Competition. I learned so many great things from the competition and it was so wonderful that I had a chance to sing at the Gran Teatre del Liceu! Thank you so much for all your support!"