The Korean soprano Gloria Jieun Choi completed  her Bachelor's degree in 2017 at Suwon 
University with Jeongmin Lee. She then completed her Master's degree in 2023 under KS Prof. Dr. Ewa Wolak at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin. She receives vocal instruction from soprano JuYoung Hong.

Her repertoire includes Mimì in "La Bohème," the First Lady in "The Magic Flute," Marianne Leitmetzerin in "Der Rosenkavalier," Smeraldina in "The Love for Three Oranges," and the role of "She" in "The Human Voice," the Countess in "Le nozze di Figaro," and the title role in "Alcina."

In 2021, she debuted at the Konzerthaus Berlin Großer Saal in an Opera Gala, performing as Nedda (Pagliacci), Cio-Cio San (Madama 
Butterfly), Suzel (L’Amico Fritz), and Mimì (La Bohème). In 2022, she debuted at the Goethe Theater Bad Lauchstädt as Sieglinde & Gutrune in She has successfully participated in various competitions, winning  1st prize at the Concurs Internacional de Cant Tenor Vinãs in 2025, 1st prize at the Concorso Internazionale Voci Verdiane in 2024, 1st prize at the KBS Kepco Music Competition 
in 2023, 2nd prize at the Korea National Opera Competition in 2023, and 2nd prize at the Concorso Internazionale Riccardo Zandonai in 2022. In 2022, she received a Bayreuth scholarship and placed 3rd in the Richard Wagner Young Talent Award. 
Additionally, she received the concert prize at the Grandi Voci competition in Salzburg in 2020. 

In 2023, Gloria Jieun Choi was supported by a scholarship from the Bayreuth Stipendium, and in 2022, by the Giovanni Omodeo Foundation.

Further engagements in the 22/23 season include performances at the Staatstheater Cottbus, where she will make her debut as Mimì in "La Bohème."

Mihai Damian is a graduate of the “Ioan Sima” Art High School in Zalău, specializing in piano, and of the “Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music in Cluj-Napoca. In 2019, he completed his studies in Conducting, and in 2024, at the same institution, he completed his studies in Classical Singing, under the guidance of  Professor Dr. Cristian Hodrea and Professor Dr. Habil. Iulia Suciu. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in the same institution.

He has achieved notable results, including:

• Second Prize and Six Special Prizes at the Tenor Viñas International Singing Competition 2025 (Spain)
• Second Prize at the Eva Marton International Singing Competition 2024 (Hungary)
• First Prize and the Prize for the Best Interpretation of a Lied by Ionel Perlea at the “Ionel Perlea” International Singing Competition (Romania)
• Eva Kleinitz Prize at the Concorso Lirico Internazionale di Portofino (Italy)
• First Prize at the International Mozart Performance Competition (Romania)
• Grand Prize and the Audience Award at the Verum Solitus Competition (Romania)
• Grand Prize at the Alexandru Fărcaș Voice Competition (Romania)

In 2023, during the Opera Ball in Cluj-Napoca, he was awarded the Alexandru Fărcaș Prize, presented by the Romanian National Opera. In 2025, on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum, he received the "Revelation of the Year" award at the Musicrit Gala, organized by UCRRM. During his training period, he participated in various masterclasses with renowned artists such as: Ramón Vargas (Mexico/Austria), Ruxandra Donose (Romania/Austria), Leontina Văduva (Romania/France), Karola Theill (Germany), Vlad Iftinca (Romania), Roland Börger (Chile), Patrick Russil (United Kingdom), Cristian Hodrea (Romania), and Veronica Anușca (Romania).

Between 2019 and 2024, he worked as a baritone with the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic in Cluj-Napoca, and starting in 2024, he became a soloist of the Romanian National Opera in Cluj-Napoca. Over the years, he has collaborated with world-renowned conductors, including:
Lawrence Foster (USA), Henrik Nánási (Hungary), Felix Krieger (Germany), Hannu Lintu (Finland), David Crescenzi (Italy), Valentin Uryupin (Russia), Mihnea Ignat (Romania), Tiberiu Soare (Romania), and Cristian Spătaru (Republic of Moldova).

Since 2021, he has become a notable presence in the Romanian musical scene, performing on most of the country's major stages: The Romanian National Opera Bucharest, Romanian Athenaeum, Romanian National Opera Cluj-Napoca, Romanian National Opera Timișoara, Romanian National Opera Iași, Transylvania State Philharmonic, Banatul Philharmonic, Arad Philharmonic, Dinu Lipatti State Philharmonic, Oradea Philharmonic, Brașov Opera, and the Hungarian Opera of Cluj-Napoca.

In 2023, he was invited to perform the role of Donald in Benjamin Britten’s opera Billy Budd at the George Enescu International Festival — this performance marked the opera’s national premiere in Romania.

The year 2024 marked the international debut of the young performer, with appearances on important stages such as: Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatro Real, Konzerthaus Berlin, Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest, Müpa Budapest, Ópera de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.
Thus, Mihai Damian is establishing himself as one of the most valuable musicians of his generation.

Welsh tenor Robert Lewis was a member of the Opéra National de Lyon Studio from 2022-2024.  He is a recent graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. 

During the 2024/25 season, Robert’s roles include Andres Wozzeck and L'abbé Andrea Chenier at Opéra National de Lyon, Scaramuccio and Ein Offizier Ariadne auf Naxos at Opéra de Rouen, Alfred Die Fledermaus in Barcelona and Seville with Les Musiciens du Louvre, Lensky Eugene Onegin at Opéra National de Lorraine, Der Bucklige Die Frau ohne Schatten Nationale Opera and Ballet, Amsterdam and War Requiemperformances in Japan.
Robert’s roles at the Opéra National de Lyon Studio included Walther Tannhäuser, Voice from the Temple Hérodiade and Don Curzio Le nozze di Figaro. He has also performed Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with the orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon.  

In 2022 he made his debut with English Touring Opera singing the Astrologer The Golden Cockerel and covering Rodolfo La bohème. He was a 2021 Jerwood Young Artist for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, covering Jaquino and singing First Prisoner Fidelio. Other operatic highlights include Nemorino L’elisir d’Amore for Iford Arts, Serano La donna del Lago for Buxton International Festival and covering Tamino Die Zauberflöte as an Alvarez Young Artist for Garsington Opera. 

Other recent projects include his Aix-en-Provence debut as Andres Wozzeck with Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO, Janek Makropoulos Affair, Benedict Béatrice et Bénédict, Nick La Fanciulla del West, Obadjah Elijah for the Opéra de Lyon. 
Concert highlights includes the tenor solos in the world premiere of Rebecca Dale’s Materna Requiem North Wales International Music Festival with Welsh National Opera, Obadiah Elijah at the Berlin Philharmonie and Verdi Requiem at Birmingham Symphony Hall. Robert has given a solo recital for BBC Radio Cymru and regularly performs on Welsh language television channel S4C.   
Robert won the prestigious W. Towyn Roberts Scholarship at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and was awarded the First Prize and Wendy Blamire Award in Hurn Court Opera’s Singing Competition. He recently won Third Prize and the Placido Domingo Prize at the 2025 Tenor Viñas competition.

Winner of Three Prizes at Tenor Viñas 2025, including The Mozart Prize, Russian-Ukrainian tenor Egor Zhuravskii was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, between 2020 and 2022.

Egor Zhuravskii has received awards from the 38th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, the 46th All-Russian Review Competition for vocalists and the Third International Maria Maksakova Competition.

At the Royal Opera House, he has sung roles including Beppe Pagliacci, Vasily Mavra, Uldino Attila, Malcolm Macbeth, Borsa Rigoletto (a performance available on Opus Arte Blu Ray / DVD) and Alfredo Germont La traviata, as well as Brother 1 The Seven Deadly Sins and Billy Mahagonny Songspiel. He has also sung First Priest Il prigoniero with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Since graduating, his engagements have included a return to The Royal Opera, London, to sing First Man in Armour Die Zauberflöte and Walther von der Vogelweide Tannhäuser and The Seven Deadly Sins at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires. 
He returned to the Royal Opera during the 2022 / 2023 season to sing First Armed Man Die Zauberflöte and Walther von der Vogelweide Tannhäuser, and his recent engagements have further included debuts with Welsh National Opera as Ferrando Così fan tutte, for whom he also sang Mozart Requiem in concert, with Opera North as Fenton Falstaff and The Seven Deadly Sins at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires. In concert, he sang Almeric Iolanta for his debut with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Current engagements include returns to Opera North to sing Ferrando Così fan tutte and Tamino The Magic Flute, Don Ottavio Don Giovanni for the Da Ponte Opera Festival, Vittorio Veneto, Apparition of a Youth Die Frau ohne Schatten for Dutch National Opera and Malcolm Macbeth for West Green House Opera. Looking ahead, he will make debuts with Garsington Opera, Irish National Opera and Swedish Chamber Orchestra.

EDUCATION

The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, California

PREVIOUS AND UPCOMING ROLES

Eisenstein, Die Fledermaus, Clyde Opera Group and Independent Opera Company; Alfredo, La traviata (cover) Landmark Opera; King Kaspar, Amahl and the Night Visitors; Azaël, The Prodigal Son (cover) and Prince Charming, Cinderella, Lyric Opera of Orange County; title role in Faust (cover), Valley Opera and Performing Arts; Die Knusperhexe, Hänsel und Gretel, Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, LAH-SOW; Count Vaudémont; Loge, Das Rheingold and Prince in Rusalka, LAH-SOW, Fenton, Falstaff; Puget Sound Concert Opera; Alfredo in La traviata, Clyde Opera Group

Roles at AVA

• Faust · Faust
• Il barbiere di Siviglia · Notary
• Jubilate! A Concert of Sacred Music
• The Rape of Lucretia · Male Chorus
• Winter Recital
• Giargiari Bel Canto Competition
• Jubilate! A Concert of Sacred Music
• Winter Recital - Mélodies dramatiques
• Fall Recital
• La traviata · Alfredo Germont
• Eugene Onegin · Lensky
• New Artists Recital

Michael Butler is an American lyric tenor hailing from Washington D.C.. He has been described as a “bright lyric tenor that rings throughout his range,” who possesses a “plush and resonant middle voice with vibrant high notes” (OperaWire). He made his Washington National Opera debut as the Mission Coordinator in the world premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded; he also sang the same role in the workshop of Grounded at The Metropolitan Opera. He will make his international and Italian debut as Martin in The Tender Land by Aaron Copeland, with Teatro Regio di Torino. An alumnus of Des Moines Metro Opera, Butler sang with the company as an apprentice artist in the 2020, 2021, and 2023 seasons. He was also a member of the prestigious Renée Fleming Artist cohort at Aspen Music Festival in the summer of 2022, where he sang the role of Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff alongside Sir Bryn Terfel in the titular role. He has been frequently seen around the D.C. Metropolitan Area in numerous concerts and productions with notable companies such as Opera Baltimore, Washington Opera Society, BelCantanti Opera, and Partners4theArts.

Butler was recently named the winner of the New York District and Eastern Region of the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition at The Metropolitan Opera, and moves on to participate in the Semi-Finals round this March. Other recent accolades include First Place in the 2020 Sue Götz Ross Memorial Voice Competition, and First Place in the 2020 National Classical Singer Competition. In April of 2023, Butler performed the title role in Gounod's Faust with Opera Baltimore, a role he first debuted in March of 2022 with Washington Opera Society. Selected previous credits include: Prince (cover) in Prokofiev's Love for Three Oranges with Des Moines Metro Opera, Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohéme (Maryland Opera Studio), Tamino in W. A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Miles Teller in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up (Maryland Opera Studio), Jimmy O’Keefe in John Musto’s Later the Same Evening (Maryland Opera Studio), Allan Murray in Justine Chen’s The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing (Maryland Opera Studio), Count Tassilo in Kálmán’s seldom performed operetta Gräfin Mariza (Washington Opera Society), Monostatos in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Maryland Opera Studio), Claudio in the world premiere of Francis Pollock’s Briscula the Magician (Belcantanti Opera Company), Il Messagero in Verdi’s Aïda (Washington Opera Society), Prince Sou-Chong in Lehár’s Das Land des Lächelns (Washington Opera Society), Borsa in Verdi’s Rigoletto (Belcantanti Opera Company), Ivan Lykov in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Czar’s Bride (Belcantanti Opera Company), the titular role in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory (Chicago Summer Opera), and Dancaire in Bizet’s Carmen (Washington Opera Society).

Butler currently resides in New York City, where he is an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies candidate at the Juilliard School. He studies with Stephen Wadsworth, Diane Richardson, and Kevin Short, among many other world-renowned teachers and performers.

Soprano Yewon Han was born in Seong-Nam, South Korea. She started her study in KayWon Arts High School in 2014. She earned Bachelor of Arts degree with the highest honor from Seoul National University in 2021. She studied with Attila Jun.

Yewon Han’s operatic debut was an ‘Amahl’ in Gian Carlo Menotti’s "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in 2018. Since then, she has established herself as an Opera Singer.
In 2019, Yewon performed as a ‘Lauretta’ in Puccini’s "Gianni Schicchi" in Seoul National University. She made successful opening night in Paolo Panizza’s production. After that performance, she selected as a role of ‘Papagena’ in Mozart’s "Die Zauberflöte" at Art Center Incheon in 2020.
She has received numerous awards in many nationally acclaimed competitions. In 2020, She won First Prizes in JoongAng Music Concours, Korean Voice Competition, KBS KEPCO Music Competition, and Korean Classical Singers Association International Vocal Competition. In addition, she has won Gold Prize in Korea National Opera Competition (2020), First Prize in Vocal Music Competition of Gwangju (2021), and Grand Prize in Vocal Music Competition of Daegu (2021).

Summer 2021, Yewon began her international career. She won third Prize of the International Singing Competition Neue Stimmen 2021/2022 in Germany. She also won first Prize in Concurso Tenor Viñas (2023) in Spain.
Yewon has completed her 2021/2022 season as Young Artist in the Korea National Opera Studio. And she is going to begin her 2022/2024 season as an International Opera Studio Young Artist in the Opernhaus Zürich...

Yulia Merkudinova, Ukrainian lyric coloratura soprano, with brilliant high notes and warm color of voice .

She graduated with honors from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev (Ukraine) and continued her studies in Italy, where she currently lives.

She won numerous international competitions and, lastly, the good placement in 2nd place of the 60th Tenor Viñas Competition, also winning 4 further prizes.
She has performed for opera houses in Ferrara, Padova, Treviso, Rovigo, Parma, Daegu (South Korea), Reggio Emilia, Livorno.
Yulia's repertoire includes such roles as: Donna Anna ("Don Giovanni" by W.A.Mozart); Gilda ("Rigoletto" by G.Verdi); Norina ("Don Pasquale" by G. Donizetti); Adina ("L'Elisir d'amore" by G.Donizetti); Lakmé ("Lakmé" by L. Delibes); Juliette ("Roméo and Juliette" Ch. Gounod); Lucia ("Lucia di Lammermoor" by G.Donizetti); Rosina (“Il Barbiere di Siviglia” by G. Rossini); Adalgisa ("Norma" by V.Bellini); Giulia "La Scala di Seta" G. Rossini)
A few days ago, she finished recording a chamber music disc with the famous conductor and pianist, Leone Magiera, with whom she studies and often collaborates.

She has performed with acclaimed artists such as, for example, Leo Nucci, Michele Pertusi, Fabio Armiliato, Simone Piazzola…. and other.

Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk is the recipient of four prizes at 2023 edition of Tenor Viñas Contest in Barcelona, including the third prize overall and the prize as better performer of Wagner. Morover she is the winner of First Prize and Audience Prize at the “Hans Gabor” Belvedere International Singing Competition 2023.
Since the 2022/23 season, she is a member of the International Opera Studio at Opernhaus Zürich, where she has already sung First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Maria Bellacanta in Hexe Hillary geht in die Oper, and she also covers leading roles as Tatjana in Evgenij Onegin and Agathe in Der Freischütz. 
She made her debut at the Salzburg Festival in Summer 2022, performing in three production: Parsifal (Blumenmädchen), Janáček’s Kát'a Kabanová, Lucia di Lammermoor (Alisa alongside Lisette Oropesa and Benjamin Bernheim). 

Born in Hagen, Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk began her studies in December 2014 with Melanie Maennl, who continues to be her vocal coach. She gained her earliest experience of the stage as a child soloist at the Theater Hagen, where she appeared in several operas, including Die Zauberflöte, The cunning little vixen and Der Rosenkavalier, all under the baton of Music Director M° Florian Ludwig.

Between 2018 and 2022 she has been studying at the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold with Markus Köhler and Manuel Lange, and while studying she performed the role of Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro and as soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk has been awarded in several international singing competitions: in 2022 she received the scholarship awarded by the three Berlin opera houses at the Bundeswettbewerb Gesang in Berlin, in 2021 she won the “Iris Adami Corradetti” Competition in Padova (Italy) as well as the international Brahms Lied Competition in Pörtschach (Austria). In 2019 she won the international Giulio Perotti Competition with the distinction: Grand Prix in all categories, special prize for the best interpretation of a German Lied and special prize for an extraordinary voice. She is also a laureate of the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg.

She will appear in the forthcoming productions of Macbeth, Die lustige Witwe and Die Wallküre (Ortlinde)
at Zurich Opera House.

Tenor Anthony Ciaramitaro continues to draw attention for his warm Italianate sound and compelling stage presence. In 2023, Mr. Ciaramitaro made his mainstage debut as Fenton in Falstaff at Palm Beach Opera, returns to LA Opera as Cassio in Otello, and makes his international and role debuts as Alfredo Germont in La Traviata at The Macerata Opera Festival in Italy, under Maestro Domenico Longo. In 2022, Mr. Ciaramitaro made his professional and house debuts in the demanding role of Giorgio in Ricky Ian Gordon’s world premiere The Garden of the Finzi-Continis with New York City Opera, Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor with LA Opera, and made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Il Messaggero in Aïda. 

Mr. Ciaramitaro is a former Domingo-Coburn-Stein Young Artist at LA Opera, where he performed Il Messaggero in Aïda, Heinrich der Schreiber in Tannhäuser, Ruiz in Il Trovatore, and Lord Cecil in Roberto Devereux.  Mr. Ciaramitaro was an inaugural member of the Renée Fleming Fellowship at the Aspen Musical Festival, where he debuted Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.  In previous seasons, he appeared as an Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fe Opera, an Apprentice Artist with the Palm Beach Opera, and a Studio Artist with Arizona Opera; performing Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia and the Governor/Vanderdendur in Candide.  As a member of the Merola Opera Program, Mr. Ciaramitaro performed Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola, and has been and a StudioArtist with Chautauqua Opera and Wolf Trap Opera.

In competition, Mr. Ciaramitaro was awarded 4th Official Prize, the Placido Domingo Tenor Prize, and the Verdi Special Prize at the 60th Tenor Viñas Contest, won the  CulturArte Prize at Operalia 2022, 2nd place at the 2022 Butler Opera International Vocal Competition, 3rd place in the 2022 Lorhen L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, 2nd place in the 2021 Palm Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition, and 3rd place in Vero Beach Opera Rising Stars Competition.

Soprano Julia Muzychenko is the recent 5th prize Winner of the Tenor Viñas Competition, Grand Prize Winner of the Clermont Ferrand International Opera Competition, 2nd Prize Winner of the Monserrat Caballe Competition and the 'Meistersinger von Nürnberg'Competition (1st place and audience prize), 55'Concorso Internazionale Voci Verdiane città di Bussetto, International Competition 'Opera de Tenerife' (1st place and audience prize) Eva Marton Competition (3rd place).
Current and future engagements include her debut as Swan Princess (The Tale of Tsar Saltan) with Opéra national du Rhin, Violetta (La Traviata) with Teatro Comunale di Bologna and a concert with the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker at the Heidenheim Festival.
 

Recent highlights include Gilda (Rigoletto), Nanetta (Falstaff) and Norina (Don Pasquale) with National Opera Montpellier, the title role in Lakme with the Les Nuit Lyriques de Marmande Festival, Oksana (The Night Before Christmas Eve) with Oper Frankfurt, which was recorded and distributed on DVD by Naxos. Additionally she has sung Amina (La Sonnambula) with Opera Limoges, Opera d’Avignon, Opera de Metz.

Julia recently was a Junges Ensemble member of the Dresden Semperoper, where her roles included Musetta (La Boheme), Olympia (Les Contes d'Hoffmann)and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte).
Ms. Muzychenko was also selected to be a soloist at the famed Semper Opernball 2020.
Additionally she performed as Violetta Valery (La Traviata) at the Verdi Festival in Bussetto, and Opera de Tenerife.
Ms. Muzychenko has completed her training as a member of the Bolshoi Theater's Young Artist Program, and Houston Grand Opera's Vocal Academy.

Russian American Soprano, Erika Baikoff, is a recent graduate of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, during which she made her MET debut singing Xenia in Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov. Other recent engagements include the soprano solo in Bach’s B minor Mass with Orchestre Métropolitain, Woglinde in Das Rheingold with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, recitals with the Schubertìada festival in Spain and concerts with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Erika is the first prize winner of the Concours International de Chant-Piano Nadia et Lili Boulanger, Helmet Deutsch Liedwettbewerb, George London Foundation Awards and Mondavi Young Artist Competition.

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."

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!”

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 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 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 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.

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 56^th International Tenor Viñas Singing Contest (Barcelona, 2019, 1st prize)
• Prize-winner at the All-Russian Music Competition (2014, Moscow, 1st prize)

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)

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".

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 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.

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".

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!​"