Operalia Reveals its 12 Finalists - Guadalajara 2016

Six candidates for the Spanish lyric-dramatic genre Zarzuela prizes, were also announced.

Operalia 2016 is hosted by the Ministry of Culture of Mexico, the Cultural Secretary of the State of Jalisco, the sovereign State of Jalisco and the legendary Teatro Degollado in the city of Guadalajara, which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary. Final Concert will be held on July 24th 2016, 6 pm, at the Teatro Degollado accompanied by the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Plácido Domingo. 

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; July 22nd, 2016.- Operalia, the international Opera competition founded by Plácido Domingo in 1993, has revealed the 12 finalists that will perform on Sunday July the 24th, for an enthusiastic Mexican audience and a distinguished group of Opera experts from around the world. Another 6 finalists were announced for the Pepita Embil and Plácido Domingo Ferrer Zarzuela Prizes.

Finalists

Canada Aviva Fortunata, soprano

France Elsa Dreisig, soprano

Italy / United States Marina Costa-Jackson, soprano

Kosovo RameLahaj, tenor

Russia  Elena Stikhina, soprano, Bogdan Volkov, tenor

South Africa  Bongiwe Nakani, mezzo-soprano

South Korea  Keonwoo Kim, tenor, Sehoon Moon, tenor

Ucrania Olga Kulchynska, soprano

USA  J’nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano, Nicholas Brownlee, bass-baritone, Brenton Ryan, tenor 

Finalists for Zarzuela Prizes

France Elsa Dreisig, soprano

Italy / USA Marina Costa-Jackson, soprano

Mexico Juan Carlos Heredia, baritone

South Korea Keonwoo Kim, tenor, Sehoon Moon, tenor

USA  Nicholas Brownlee, bass-baritone

Earlier this week, the 40 contestants drawn from 16 countries took part in three days of preliminary rounds, where they sang for the competition’s international jury. The Finals Concert will be held at the Teatro Degollado on Sunday, July 24th, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Jalisco conducted by Maestro Plácido Domingo himself.

Participating or even winning a prize in this competition is only the beginning of every singer’s relationship with Plácido Domingo’s Operalia. Since the jury is comprised for the most part of international Opera house’s General and/or Casting directors, Operalia’s distinguished jurors often invite and engage some of the singers to perform in the upcoming productions scheduled in their theaters. Plácido Domingo is not only actively involved during the competition, but he commits to each and every single contestant by engaging them for his own companies and projects, or recommending them for other engagements around the world.

This year, prizes are awarded to first, second and third place for both male and female; two Birgit Nilsson (male and female) for the Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss repertoire; two prizes for the Spanish lyric-dramatic genre Zarzuela, created in honor of Plácido Domingo’s parents, Pepita Embil and Plácido Domingo Ferrer; and the Culturarte prize. The audience also votes for their male and female favorites who receive a Rolex wrist watch from the event’s main sponsor and from Plácido Domingo, who has been a Rolex Testimonee for more than 30 years.

Operalia will be streamed live on Medici.TV, Canal 7 and Canal 22 in Mexico. The Gala Concert will start at 6pm, followed by the ceremony where Plácido Domingo will present the Awards.