“Music is an integral part of our culture. It connects people, and touches them. I’ve been impressed by the power and beauty of the human voice ever since I was a child. And today I’m convinced that music also promotes tolerance and solidarity, while bringing together people from different countries and cultures. It is a universal language that builds bridges – across any border. That’s why I consider it a great and important task to carefully and sustainably foster the tradition of our musical culture – and not just in Germany, but throughout the world. The people in our society need their cultural roots!
With this is mind, I initiated the European Singing Contest in 1987, which became the NEUE STIMMEN International Singing Competition just a few years later. It is my wish that NEUE STIMMEN will serve to discover talented young vocalists across the globe, to open doors of mutual understanding for them, and to advise and support them along their career path over the long term. The world of music is changing at a faster and faster pace. Globalization and digitalization are the most powerful engines of change in this field, too. This makes it especially challenging for young vocalists to gain access to the opera stage and find their way into a singing career. In line with our principle of ‘creating careers,’ we want to do all we can to support them in this process.”