The world’s most prestigious competition – Operalia (a springboard for opera singers) – was founded in 1993 by Plácido Domingo to discover and help launch the careers of today’s most promising young opera singers.

In 2023 Rolex is proudly presenting the Thirtieth Anniversary Edition of Operalia, the World Opera Competition, which will be hosted by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cape Town Opera at the Artscape Theatre Centre

“Operalia” will run from 30 October to 5 November 2023. The first rounds and semi-finals, with some 40 singers accompanied on the piano, will be open to the public at a minimal cost, and the final round, on November 5, will be with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, for which tickets will go on sale later.

This is an exciting opportunity for local opera artists. “Opera is the genre that transcends culture and background, and this competition on African soil with an African orchestra will open doors to all young opera singers, irrespective of their circumstances,” says Artscape CEO Marlene le Roux.

“It has also been a dream of ours to one day bring the competition to South Africa, home to two of our most prominent Operalia winners, Pretty Yende and Levy Sekgapane, in order to celebrate and honour the tremendously talented candidates and singers that continue to emerge in the past two decades.
For us, it is imperative to count on the commitment and the excitement of the local host, which in this case combines the cultural alliance between the CTPO, Cape Town Opera and the Artscape Theatre Centre.”

Not only is the competition a springboard for opera singers, but it will showcase and  promote Cape Town as a destination for the arts, which will encourage more cultural events and initiatives in the future, says Alex Gabriel, managing director of Cape Town Opera.

The competition will also be aired live on Medici.tv, “the most important classical music platform available” and the subscription will be waived, meaning anyone around the world can watch it and Cape Town’s beauty will be the backdrop. 
“The judges are from some of the most important opera houses internationally” says CTPO head Louis Heyneman.

HOW THE OPERALIA CONTEST WORKS?

With Operalia, singers of all voice types between the ages of 20 and 32 are invited to submit applications. Thereafter, a pre-selection jury listens to submissions and selects about 40 participants. 

The jury, presided over by Placido Domingo, then listens to each participant during two days of quarterfinals. Twenty participants then go through to the semifinals and 10 singers are chosen for the finals. While the quarterfinals and semifinals are carried out in audition form, the final round is presented in the form of a gala concert accompanied by a full orchestra.

With this year’s contest, the first rounds and semi-finals in October will be open to the public at a minimal cost and singers will be accompanied on piano. During the final round on 5 November, musicians will be accompanied by the CTPO. 

See here for more on Pretty Yende who was a previous Operlia winner who will be singing at the coronation of King Charles 111operalia springboard for opera singers

Top picture credit: SA people.com: René Barbera, with Placido Domingo and Pretty Yende. (Image: Operalia Competition)