The Premiere Opera Foundation International Vocal Competition is one of the most authoritative vocal and opera competitions in the world. Having been successfully held for eight editions at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, it is renowned for its high professional standards and fair, rigorous selection process. Winners will receive opportunities to sign contracts with internationally renowned theaters and access global touring resources, making it a crucial platform for emerging vocal talents and future international opera stars. This year, for the first time, the competition will establish an Asian Division Selection, jointly organized by the Premiere Opera Foundation (POF) and Shenyang Conservatory of Music, with the Shenyang Shenjing Grand Theater as a co-organizer. The aim is to discover and promote the most promising young opera talents in Asia.

Time and Location

Competition Dates: September 20–28, 2025

Location: Shenyang, Liaoning, China

Eligibility and Divisions

Eligibility:  Open to Asian citizens or residents aged 16–38 (born between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2009), regardless of race or gender.

Age Divisions:

Youth Division: 16–22 years old (born between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2009)

Professional Division: 23–38 years old (born between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2002)

Registration and Material Submission

Registration Period: Open now until September 7.

Registration Method: Complete the application form at https://www.premiereoperafoundation.org/applyand submit required materials.

Registration Fees:

Preliminary Round: $120 thereafter

Semi-Finals: $150 per person

Finals: No fee

Material Submission Requirements:

Video recordings must be made within 18 months before the submission deadline, with clear audio and video quality.

Full-body, front-facing footage is required, with no face coverings. Videos must be unedited, without cuts or post-production, and must not contain any identifying text or logos. Violations will result in disqualification without refund.

Attire: Stage performance wear or formal attire is required; casual clothing is not permitted.

Accompaniment: Live piano or recorded accompaniment is allowed; a cappella performances are not accepted.

Repertoire and Performance Requirements

 General Rules: 

All pieces must be performed in their original language (Chinese, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, or Russian) and memorized.

Opera pieces must be sung in the original key.

Semi-finalists must submit their semi-final and final repertoire lists, including works in at least three languages.

Repertoire for semi-finals and finals must not overlap, though pieces from the preliminary round may be repeated.

Judges may stop performances if time limits are exceeded, without affecting scores.

Division-Specific Rules:

Youth Division:  

Preliminary Round: ≤10 minutes, 2 pieces (1 opera aria + 1 art song)

Semi-Finals: ≤12 minutes, 2 opera arias

Finals: ≤15 minutes, 3 pieces (2 opera arias + 1 Chinese piece [art song or opera aria])

Professional Division:

Preliminary Round: ≤10 minutes, 2 opera arias

Semi-Finals: ≤12 minutes, 2 opera arias

Finals: ≤15 minutes, 3 pieces (2 opera arias + 1 Chinese piece [art song or opera aria])

Awards and Advancement Mechanism

Awards: Each division will award: 

1 First Prize, 2 Second Prizes, 3 Third Prizes

All other finalists will receive Excellence Awards.

Global Finals Advancement:  

The top-scoring contestant in each division will advance directly to the global finals.

Second and third-place winners will enter the global semi-finals.

Top three winners will receive full scholarships (covering airfare and accommodations) to the finals in New York.

Other finalists may self-fund participation in the global semi-finals/finals.

Special Awards (Asian Edition): 

Audience Favorite Award、Outstanding Artistic Potential Award、Best Mozart Aria Interpreter、Exceptional Stage Presence Award、Special Prize for Chinese Repertoire、Outstanding Instructor Award

Additional Opportunities:  

Semi-finalists may attend workshops with Eric Margiore and Miloš Repický, observe the finals, and receive discounted tickets to Lawrence Brownlee’s China debut concert.

Finalists may receive direct audition opportunities at The Juilliard School and Curtis Institute of Music in 2026 (subject to POF and institutional policies).

Judging Panel and Evaluation Process

Judges:  

International Judges:  

John Fisher: Renowned conductor, vocal coach, and casting consultant (La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World jury chair).

Cheryl Studer: Grammy-winning dramatic soprano, performed 80+ roles worldwide.

Miloš Repický: Head of Vocal Studies at Curtis Institute, Metropolitan Opera coach.

Eric Margiore: Tenor, POF founder, and artistic director.

Chinese Judges: Wei Song、Zhao DengYing、Guo Sen、Tian Yan.  

https://youtu.be/XaPA8JVr5yg

Evaluation Process: 

Preliminary rounds: Online review by panelists from the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera, etc.

Semi-finalists announced by September 5 on both the Shenyang Conservatory of Music and POF official websites, and selected candidates will be individually notified by email and provided with a formal semifinal invitation; live performances for semi-finals/finals.

Judges’ decisions are final.

Registration

Semi-finalists must register to the designated location specified by the Organizer by 12:00 PM (Beijing Time) on September 19. Late arrivals forfeit participation without refund.

ID/passport verification required.

Recording Rights

Contestants are required to grant the organizer the right to record audio and video of their entire participation in the competition and the award ceremony concert (if held), and consent to the use of such recordings for commercial purposes such as promotion and distribution, without the need for additional payment. The audio-visual materials and other items submitted by contestants for the preliminary round will not be returned under any circumstances. The organizer shall hold all rights to distribute and publish all audio-visual materials.

Contact Information

Chinese Contestants:

Ms. Hao, Shenyang Conservatory of Music: +86 13889116814 (WeChat), 83855553@qq.com

International Contestants:  

POF: info@premiereoperafoundation.org

Mr. Zhang, Shenyang Conservatory of Music: +86 13700005863 (WeChat), sycmwsb@163.com

The organizer reserves final interpretation rights. Additional notices will be issued if necessary.