Gencer competition finalists announced

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Preliminary auditions for 7th Leyla Gencer Vocal Competition attracted a record number of young singers this year, and 41 quarter-finalists from different countries

The preliminary auditions for the 7th Leyla Gencer Vocal Competition attracted a record number of young singers this year, and 41 quarter-finalists from 22 different countries have been selected to come to Istanbul this September to make their mark on the opera world.

Out of 176 young singers who applied to the preliminary auditions this year, the 41 selected quarter-finalists comprise all voice parts except alto. The majority of the singers are sopranos, but there is one countertenor in the group. The nationalities represented in the final series also span a wide range, including five South Korean and one Chinese singer, as well as two Americans and a Canadian.

In collaboration with the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and Teatro alla Scala, the competition aims to identify up-and-coming stars in the world of opera. 

The winner of the Leyla Gencer Voice Competition will receive a prize of 12,500 euros, the runner-up will win 7,500 euros, and the third place winner will take home 3,500 euros. 

The La Scala Theater Academy Special Prize will also be awardede for the first time this year, providing a selected student with a three-month scholarship.