With eyes on the future
It is with great joy that OPART – Organismo de Produção Artística, E.P.E. and the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos are hosting the final session of the first edition of the Cascais Ópera International Singing Competition, opening the doors of the bicentennial São Carlos to a new generation of international operatic singers.
As the only opera house in the country, it is up to us to dialogue and collaborate with new projects and partners that are in line with our public service obligations, regardless of their nature or origin. In this case, we welcome the fact that Cascais Ópera has emerged from civil society, through the CIVOC Association, supported by public institutions and driven by the economic fabric in its patronage aspect which, as a whole, is further evidence of the interest that opera arouses and the extraordinary potential it holds. We would also highlight the complicity of RTP, which remains uncompromising in its role as a fundamental vehicle for making opera accessible to wider and more physically distant audiences.
Among the many artistic reasons for this partnership, we highlight, on one hand, the important role of singing competitions in discovering new singers and rejuvenating casts and opera houses; on the other hand, this is a unique space for foreign singers and programmers to get to know the singing scene in Portugal; and, conversely, the opportunity for Portuguese singers – and there were six who started this adventure – to be able to match their counterparts and place themselves on the international scene.
In the pit of the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos will be the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, one of our theater’s resident ensemble and a national reference which, throughout its 31 years of musical life, has ensured and experienced the most unforgettable performances by virtuoso soloists.
We invite the public, who have accompanied us with unwavering loyalty and enthusiasm, to be part of this promising day, applauding all the finalists and actively contributing to the selection of a prize-winner.
Because opera belongs to everyone and for everyone.
Conceição Amaral
Chairman of the Board of Directors of OPART – E.P.E
Ivan van Kalmthout
Artistic Director of the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Grand Prix Égide 10.000,00€ & Contract with TNSC
Hae Kang
Korea, Republic of
Baritone
1st Prize “Teresa Berganza” for Female Voice or Countertenor 7.500,00€ & Contract with TNSC & RTP Audience Prize
Sílvia Sequeira
Portugal
Soprano
1st Prize “Maurício Bensaude” for male voice 7.500,00€
ByeongMin Gil
Korea, Republic of
Bass Baritone
2nd Prize 5.000,00€
Jan Wouters
Belgium
Countertenor
3rd Prize 3.500,00€
Anna Erokhina
Ukraine
Mezzo
Prize for Best Young contestant under 25 years old 2.500,00€
Iana Aivazian
Armenia
Soprano
Contract with the National Opera Novi Sad (Serbia)
Hovhannes Karapetyan
Armenia
Bass
FIMM - Contract with Festival Internacional de Música de Marvão 2025
Teresa Sales Rebordão
Portugal
Mezzo
Contract with the Orquestra de Câmara de Cascais e Oeiras
Duangamorn Fu
Thailand
Soprano
Contract with the Festival de Música de Mafra “Filipe de Sousa”
Maria Constança Melo
Portugal
Soprano
