On the evening of April 30, the Palácio da Cidadela de Cascais — the official summer residence of the President of the Republic of Portugal — hosted one of the most moving moments of the second edition of Cascais Opera – International Vocal Competition.
Accompanied on piano by Michael Sikich and coached by Aleksandar Nikolić — senior opera director at the National Theatre of Serbia and one of Eastern Europe’s leading stage directors — the singers presented a varied program of operatic arias that captivated the audience.
Though they were not selected for the Grand Final, the young performers demonstrated exactly why they had advanced so far in the competition, delivering performances full of intensity, technical mastery and expressiveness. At the end of the concert, they were greeted with a heartfelt standing ovation from the audience that filled the Palácio da Cidadela — a stunning venue rich in institutional symbolism.
Among those in attendance were Ambassador Maria Amélia Paiva, representing the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and Ambassador António Monteiro, president of the Millennium bcp Foundation.
Also present were the founders of Cascais Opera — Alexandra Maurício, Adriano Jordão, and Sergei Leiferkus — as well as the jurors and several competition finalists, who came to support their colleagues and celebrate this evening dedicated to the voice.
“It was a very enjoyable program. It was fast-paced, lively, and very dynamic. A lovely way to honour the semifinalists, who of course wanted to reach the final but still found a meaningful opportunity to showcase their talent,” said Elena Luporini, a journalist from Bachtrack, the world’s leading online platform for classical music, at the end of the concert.
“I was very happy to have had the opportunity to sing for so many lovely people, the jury, and all the wonderful people in the audience,” said Israeli soprano Na’ama Shulman, one of the competition’s semifinalists. “There was a special atmosphere, as if we were all much calmer compared to the competition. I think that really brought out the best in us, and everyone was amazing.”
The Final of Cascais Opera will take place this Sunday, May 4, at 5 p.m., at the Grande Auditório of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, with the eight selected finalists. The public will once again have the opportunity to witness the vocal excellence of these outstanding young talents of the opera world.
