The semifinalists for NEUE STIMMEN 2026 have been selected: Following the auditions on Monday and Tuesday, the nine-member jury chaired by Alexander Neef, Director of the Opéra national de Paris, decided which 16 of the 41 young opera singers from 18 countries would advance to the next round of the competition. On Wednesday, October 7, the semifinalists will perform with piano accompaniment for the jury and audience at the Stadthalle Gütersloh, beginning at 7 p.m.:
- Altynbek, Aigerim / Soprano, Kazakhstan
- Celik, Defne / Soprano, Germany
- Choi, Young / Bass, South Korea
- Cook, Max Alexander / Tenor, United States
- Dai, Ziyi / Soprano, China
- Durka, Marcel / Baritone, Germany
- Fischer, Neima / Soprano, Germany
- Liu, Yiming / Tenor, China
- Peng, Xuandi / Bass-Baritone, China
- Pkhaladze, Irakli / Bass-Baritone, Georgia
- Rojas, Rafael / Tenor, Mexico
- Sinanyan, Arpi / Soprano, Armenia
- Wang, Jiazhou / Baritone, China
- Wu, Liere / Soprano, China
- Yi, Younji / Soprano, South Korea
- Zhuo, Shiyu / Soprano, China
"I am always impressed by the talent, passion, and courage these young people bring to pursuing their dream of an opera career. I warmly congratulate all the semifinalists and wish them every success – and, above all, much joy – on stage. The week continues for the other young singers, too, with opportunities to make valuable contacts, expand their networks, and gain important insights for the road ahead," says Liz Mohn, President of the competition and Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Liz Mohn Foundation.
