Announcement of the 11th edition of the Renata Tebaldi International Voice Competition – Opera Section 2026
The Fondazione Renata Tebaldi is pleased to announce the 11th edition of the Renata Tebaldi International Voice Competition – Opera Section 2026.
The Competition will take place in the Republic of San Marino (RSM) from 15 to 18 September 2026 and is open to opera singers of all vocal registers and any nationality, with the exception of the winners of previous editions of the opera section (first, second and third prize).
The age limit is 32 years, and candidates born between 19 September 1993 and 14 September 2009 are eligible to enter.
Entries shall be submitted online via the web site www.fondazionerenatatebaldi.org
For further information: concorso@fondazionerenatatebaldi.org
To gain access to pre-selections, candidates shall fill in a registration form and include the following material:
- a scanned document certifying identity and nationality (.jpg or .pdf format)
- one recent digital photo (.jpg)
- a short CV (in Italian or English) including details about education, any award obtained in previous competitions and professional activity (in .docx, .doc, .txt, .odt format);
- the receipt proving the payment of €50.00 (.pdf or .jpg format) as application fee net of any expense, which shall be borne by the candidate;
- a link to a video of two recently recorded opera arias, of good technical quality, with a total duration of no more than 15 minutes. The two arias may also be combined and recorded in a single video. Videos submitted in any other way will not be accepted.
The Opera Section of the Renata Tebaldi Competition covers an operatic repertoire ranging from Mozart to the entire 20th century, and singers of all vocal ranges are eligible to enter: contralto, mezzo-soprano, soprano, bass, baritone, tenor and countertenor.
The deadline for entries is 10 July 2026.
It will be possible to take part in the live pre-selections on 8 and 9 May 2026 at the Opéra Royal – Château de Versailles Spectacles. Only those who register for the Competition by 30 April 2026 will be granted this opportunity.
The Competition Secretariat will notify all registered competitors of the outcome of the pre-selections by email.
Competitors admitted to the preliminary round shall confirm their participation in the Competition by 31 July 2026 by sending proof of payment of the €100.00 net entry fee and the musical programme they intend to perform, using the form included in the notification email.
COMPETITION PROGRAMME
All admitted candidates are required to present five opera arias, drawn from the operatic repertoire ranging from W.A. Mozart up to the end of the 20th century, in their original language and complete with recitative and/or cabaletta, where applicable; the five arias must be in at least three different languages, with a minimum of two in Italian. The performance shall be by heart. Candidates must bring with them all the scores (chant and piano reduction) of the pieces indicated in the submitted programme.
The Fondazione Renata Tebaldi will provide all candidates with an accompanist. If they wish, and at their own expense, candidates may bring their own pianist to the Competition.
Each candidate is required to take a compulsory rehearsal with the pianist assigned by the Competition Secretariat on 14 September 2026. Candidates who enter the Competition accompanied by their own pianist are exempt from such rehearsal.
Preliminary round: 15 September 2026, Teatro Concordia (Borgo Maggiore – RSM)
Each candidate shall perform two pieces of their choice from those listed in the programme submitted, with piano accompaniment. The Jury reserves the right to listen to only part of the arias performed.
Semi-final: 16 September 2026, Teatro Concordia (Borgo Maggiore – RSM)
Each candidate shall perform two arias selected by the Jury from those listed in the submitted programme and not performed in the previous round, with piano accompaniment. The Jury reserves the right to listen to only part of the requested arias.
Rehearsals with the orchestra: 17 September 2026, Teatro Concordia (San Marino – RSM)
Final concert: 18 September 2026, Teatro Concordia (San Marino – RSM)
Each candidate shall perform an aria chosen by the Jury from those listed in the programme submitted. The Concert will be accompanied by a symphony orchestra conducted by Maestro Nicola Valentini.
All the stages of the Competition are open to the public.
PRIZES
First prize € 5,000
plus a contract/agreement offered by the President of the Jury
Second prize € 3,000
Third prize € 1,500
Additional prizes are planned and will be communicated
All prizes are deemed before taxes according to the local law in force.
JURY
The Chair of the Jury will be Evamaria Wieser (Salzburg Festival), who will offer a contract/agreement to the First Prize winner. The Jury reserves the right not to award the First Prize; in any case, the Chair’s vote is decisive for the award.
Should a candidate be, or have been, a student of, or have had a close artistic relationship with a member of the Jury under a representation contract within the last three years, that member shall abstain from voting and, in the final tally, the score awarded shall be the result of the average of the other jurors’ votes.
In the event of a tie, the Chair of the Jury shall have the casting vote. The Jury’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
SPECIFICATIONS
The payment of the registration fee, for the access to the pre-selection and the qualifier, will validate the enrolment in the Competition and it can be made by:
- Bank transfer
Cassa di Risparmio della Repubblica di San Marino
Branch: Borgo Maggiore
IBAN: SM 32 E 06067 09801 000010107963
SWIFT/BIC: C S S M S M S M
Banca Agricola Commerciale – Istituto Bancario Sammarinese
Branch: Borgo Maggiore
IBAN: SM 91 T 03034 09804 000040116933
SWIFT/BIC B A S M S M S M
- Postal order addressed to
Fondazione Renata Tebaldi
Via Oddone Scarito, 84 – 47893 Borgo Maggiore
Repubblica di San Marino
All stages of the Competition will be recorded on audio or video, and candidates may request a copy of the recording of their performance.
Admitted candidates shall be available for all events scheduled during the Competition period.
The Artistic Directorate will decide the order in which candidates will perform during the various stages of the Competition. For the Final Concert, the order will be determined by the Artistic Directorate in consultation with the Jury.
By registering, candidates transfer to the Fondazione Renata Tebaldi all image rights and rights to their audio/video recordings relating and limited to the Renata Tebaldi International Voice Competition, without any claim to compensation. The Fondazione Renata Tebaldi shall therefore be entitled to use and disseminate the material relating to the Competition, as described above, through the mass media, including social media, as it deems most appropriate.
Filling in the registration form is legally binding, and in the event of any dispute, the Italian version of the Competition announcement shall prevail.
OR enrol by sending this registration form filled in (and the documents there required) to the email address concorso@fondazionerenatatebaldi.org