Korea National Opera to Discover Next-Generation Vocalists... 25th Vocal Competition to Be Held

10 Million Won Grand Prize
Finals to Be Held on August 28

The Korea National Opera has announced on July 15 that it will hold the 25th Korea National Opera Vocal Competition next month to discover and nurture the next generation of promising vocalists.

The preliminary round will take place from August 12 to 13 at the N Studio of the National Art Company Practice Building in the Seoul Arts Center, while the final round will be held at 7:00 p.m. on August 28 in the Art Hall at the Seocho Cultural & Arts Center.

The Korea National Opera Vocal Competition, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the SeAH Woon Hyung Lee Foundation, has consistently discovered outstanding vocalists and provided aspiring talents who will lead the future of Korean opera with opportunities for stage experience and growth.

Since last year, the prize money has been increased and the scope of participation for both domestic and international vocalists has been broadened. In addition, the competition has strengthened international engagement by inviting adjudicators from overseas. This year, world-renowned soprano Ying Huang, Vice President of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, has been invited to serve as a judge in order to encourage participation from outstanding vocalists both at home and abroad and to further enhance the competition's global prestige. The judging panel, including Ying Huang, who has been recognized for her musicality and artistry on major opera stages worldwide, as well as leading Korean vocalists and university professors, will evaluate the participants' abilities fairly and professionally.

The finalists who pass the preliminary round will perform in the final accompanied by the Korea Coop Orchestra conducted by Jijiung Bae. Jijiung Bae has previously served as a conductor at the Ulm Municipal Theater and the Ulm Municipal Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Trier Municipal Theater and Symphony Orchestra in Germany, and is currently active on opera and concert stages across Europe and Korea.

Anyone under the age of 35 (as of the date of the preliminary round) majoring in voice and aspiring to perform at domestic or international opera stages is eligible to apply. The entry fee is 100,000 won.

The grand prize winner will receive the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award and a prize of 10 million won. The gold prize winner will receive the SeAH Woon Hyung Lee Foundation Chairman’s Award and a prize of 7 million won. The silver and bronze prize winners will each receive the Korea National Opera General Director & Artistic Director's Award along with a prize of 5 million won and 3 million won, respectively.

Park Hyejin, General Director & Artistic Director of the Korea National Opera, stated, "The Korea National Opera Vocal Competition serves as the first step and stage of challenge in nurturing opera talent," adding, "We look forward to enthusiastic interest and participation from young, talented, and passionate vocalists." She continued, "Beyond simply being a contest, we aim to offer vocalists a genuine opportunity for advancement and strive to elevate the competition to one of international renown."

Further details and information on how to apply for the vocal competition can be found on the Korea National Opera website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.