News Item, 20/01/2009, Gütersloh: An opportunity for young opera singers: Apply now to compete in NEUE STIMMEN 2009!

Talented young opera singers are invited to submit their applications for Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 13th International Singing Competition NEUE STIMMEN by March 31, 2009. The final round of the competition will take place in Gütersloh from October 25 to 31, 2009. The new chairman of the jury is Dominique Meyer (53), currently general manager of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, who will take on the position of director of the Vienna State Opera as of the 2010/11 season. The NEUE STIMMEN competition is held in cooperation with the broadcasting company Westdeutscher Rundfunk. The top prize was increased by €5,000 in 2007 to its current level of €15,000.

Bertelsmann Stiftung's singing competition, launched in 1987, is recognized as one of the most important international markets for young opera singers. It offers them an opportunity to establish contacts to members of the jury, directors of opera companies and agents. "I encourage promising talents from every part of the world to apply for this competition," says Liz Mohn, president of NEUE STIMMEN and deputy chair of Bertelsmann Stiftung's Executive Board. "Our international competition is a good opportunity for these young people to further their careers."

Prospective participants may submit their applications on the website www.neue-stimmen.de/application. The website contains comprehensive information about all aspects of the competition, from the compulsory repertoire from four stylistic periods (from the 16th to the 20th century) to the locations where the preliminary rounds will be held. Male applicants must be no older than 32, female applicants no older than 30 years of age. Online applicants will receive a personal access code for the "members only" section, which contains the latest information. Information may also be requested by telephone (+49 5241 81-81171) or fax (+49 5241 81 6-81171). The deadline for applications is March 31, 2009.

The preliminary rounds will be held between April and August of 2009 at 23 international locations: Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Florence, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Munich, New York, Oslo, Riga, San Francisco, St. Petersburg, Sydney, Tbilisi, Toronto, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw, and Yokosuka. Brian Dickie, general director of the Chicago Opera Theater, is in charge of the preliminary competitions. He and Gustav Kuhn, the well-known conductor and president of the Tyrolean Festival Erl, who serves as the artistic director of the competition, will be selecting approximately 45 contestants to compete in the final round in Gütersloh.

In their evaluation of the contestants, during the preliminary competitions as well as the final round, the members of the international jury will give equal consideration to technical skill, musical performance, vocal quality, and artistic personality and presence. In addition to Dominique Meyer, Gustav Kuhn and Brian Dickie, the jury will consist of Kammersänger Francisco Araíza, professor at the College of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart; Kammersänger Siegfried Jerusalem, director of the College of Music in Nuremberg-Augsburg; Jürgen Kesting, music critic and author; Bernd Loebe, director of the Frankfurt Opera; Nicholas Payne, director of Opera Europa, the professional association of opera houses and festivals in Europe; Kammersängerin Anja Silja and Evamaria Wieser, artistic administrator of the Salzburg Festival.

NEUE STIMMEN competitions have paved the way to national and international careers for numerous young artists, including Vesselina Kasarova, René Pape, Nathalie Stutzmann, Noëmi Nadelmann, Roman Trekel, Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Melanie Diener, Dietrich Henschel and Angelika Kirchschlager. More than 1,200 talented young singers applied to participate in our last competition in 2007, which concluded with Latvian soprano Marina Rebeka winning first prize.