Independent Opera was delighted to sponsor the Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera International Song Competition in 2019.
The Competition was established in 1997 with the intention of reflecting, and in the hope of extending, awareness and appreciation of the richness of the song repertoire. The biennial Competition has grown in status and prestige, and attracts singers and pianists from around the world, aged 33 or under, who are keen to embark on significant recital careers.
Providing an invaluable opportunity for feedback and guidance from a jury consisting of the highest calibre of internationally renowned artists and directors from the world’s elite concert halls and music festivals, the Competition also promotes the exchange of ideas between artists from all over the world and presents an important platform for public performance and the expansion of repertoire.
Prizes donated by Independent Opera as part of its overall support of the competition included:
Singers’ Prizes
First Prize: £10,000
Second Prize: £5,000
Third Prize: £2,500
Pianists’ Prize
£5,000
2019 COMPETITION
The eleventh edition of the Competition took place in London on
7-11 September 2019.
For more information on the competition, click here.
Competition Jury
John Gilhooly OBE
John Mark Ainsley
Iain Burnside
Bernarda Fink
David Jackson
Graham Johnson OBE
Dame Felicity Lott
Natalie Murray Beale
Thomas Quasthoff
Richard Stokes
Ailish Tynan
Future Competitions (2021 & 2023) will be sponsored by William and Judith Bollinger.
Wigmore Hall 36 Wigmore Street,
London, W1U 2BP.
Director: John Gilhooly, OBE
The Wigmore Hall Trust.
Registered Charity no. 1024838
Independent Opera’s relationship with the Wigmore Hall dates back over 10 years to its first Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowship awarded to bass Matthew Rose in 2007. He was selected from the participants of the biennial Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition and auditioned by Independent Opera’s Creative Director Natalie Murray Beale and Wigmore Hall Director John Gilhooly. Subsequent Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowships were awarded to Gaëlle Arquez, Clara Mouriz, Dominik Köninger, Anna Huntley, James Newby and Peter Kellner.
Independent Opera also presented an annual Scholars' Recital at Wigmore Hall, showcasing the recipients of our Voice Scholarship programme from 2017 to 2020.