Tickets now available
The Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation will host the Final of the Cascais Opera – International Vocal Competition on May 4 at 17:00. An exciting afternoon, marked by the performance of some of opera’s most famous arias, with the chance for the public to vote for one of the candidates and award the RTP Audience Prize.
The eight finalists, selected from hundreds of applicants, will have the opportunity to compete for prizes amounting to 40,000 euros, spread over 9 categories (see below) and also contracts with prestigious institutions and music festivals, with relevance in the global music scene: Contract with the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Contract with the National Opera – Novi Sad – Serbia, Contract with the Marvão International Music Festival 2026, Contract with the Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra, Contract with the Mafra Music Festival “Filipe de Sousa”, Contract with the Algarve International Piano Festival – 2025/2026 season and Istanbul State Opera and Ballet – Contract for a role in an opera production in the 2025/2026 season.
For this 2nd edition, Cascais Ópera received 340 applications from 49 countries, demonstrating the event’s global reach. The competition has strengthened its international presence with initiatives such as the launch of applications in Paris and integration into the Opera Latinoamérica (OLA) network.
The selection process is currently underway, with a jury chaired by baritone Sergei Leiferkus evaluating the candidates until February 10. Of these, around 40 young singers will be invited to travel to Cascais for the in-person auditions.
From April 23 to 30, the qualifying rounds will take place at the Cascais Cultural Center, where the public can attend free of charge, subject to room capacity. The program also includes a concert by the semi-finalists and masterclasses at various cultural venues in the municipality.
The Live Final, which culminates the competition, is an opportunity to celebrate the talent of young lyric singers from all over the world. Tickets are already on sale at Ticketline for between €15 and €30, depending on the seat.
The Competition is co-organized by the CIVOC Association, Cascais Town Hall and the D. Luis I Foundation. It has the support of the “La Caixa” Foundation, Égide – Associação Portuguesa das Artes, Millennium bcp Foundation, Turismo de Cascais, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon City Council, SRS Legal, Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra, Leitão & Irmão Joalheiros and its institutional partner is the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos.
Cascais Ópera – The birthplace of the future of opera!
