The final featured eight singers at the Gulbenkian Foundation
Eight young singers of five different nationalities competed for the top prizes at one of the most prestigious international opera singing competitions held in Portugal.
Cascais Opera – International Singing Competition announced the winners of its third edition at a grand final held in the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, which brought together eight young singers selected from dozens of candidates from various countries.
Following a rigorous selection process, preliminary rounds and masterclasses, the finalists took to the stage to compete for the competition’s top prizes before an international jury comprising some of the most influential figures in the world of opera, chaired by baritone Sergei Leiferkus and made up of leading figures from the international opera scene: Benjamin Schwartz (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra), Catarina Sereno (Belgian-Portuguese mezzo-soprano), Colin Brush (Houston Grand Opera Studio), Florian Köfler (La Monnaie / De Munt), Fredrik Andersson (Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation), Ivan van Kalmthout (senior opera executive), Juliane Banse (soprano and artistic director of the Marvão International Music Festival), Karen Stone (executive director of Opera Europa) and María Bayo (soprano, Palau de Les Arts, Valencia).
The eight finalists were accompanied by the Cascais Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Antonio Pirolli. The event was presented by musicologist Inês Thomas Almeida. The programme for the Final can be found here.
Having run for just three editions, Cascais Ópera has established itself as one of Europe’s leading platforms for discovering operatic talent, attracting young performers at the start of their careers as well as leading professionals already established in the world of opera.
The 2026 edition once again stood out for the high artistic calibre of the participants and the competition’s growing international reach – 499 entries from 59 countries – confirming Portugal’s role as a meeting point for the new generation of opera singers.
The eight finalists
The Cascais Opera 2026 final brought together eight performers selected from the 39 candidates who auditioned in Cascais during the audition period, out of a total of 499 candidates from 59 countries:
Arianna Manganello (Italy – mezzo-soprano): A member of the ensemble at the Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2020; her repertoire includes Rosina, Cherubino, Zerlina and Fenena.
Beatriz Maia (Portugal – Soprano): Currently studying for a Master’s degree in Opera at the Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding, Munich; she will join the Opera Studio at the Vienna State Opera between 2026 and 2028.
Seonwoo Lee (South Korea – Soprano): Acclaimed by critics for her ‘phenomenal control’ (Opera Canada); a graduate of the Opernstudio at the Bayerische Staatsoper; making her debut as Gilda at the Royal Danish Opera.
Junyoung Choi (South Korea – Baritone): Winner of the AsLiCo 2026 and Piero Cappuccilli 2025 competitions; his repertoire includes Falstaff and Scarpia.
WuTongyu (China – Tenor): Born in 2002; first prize in her undergraduate degree at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Nuri Park (South Korea – Soprano): Master’s student at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna; has performed at the Korean National Opera and the Neue Staatsoper.
Tomislav Jukić (Croatia – Tenor): Member of the International Opera Studio at the Opernhaus Zürich since 2024/25; took part in the Salzburg Festival’s Young Singers Project in 2025.
Ljubomir Milanović (Serbia – Baritone): Scholarship holder of the German National Academic Foundation; made his professional debut in 2024 at the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern; his repertoire includes Figaro and Dr Falke.
The beginning of a career
More than just a competition, Cascais Opera stands out for its training component and the direct contact it provides between the candidates and some of the key decision-makers in the international opera world. Over the past week, the contestants have taken part in masterclasses, artistic workshops and assessment sessions designed to prepare these young talents for the challenges of a professional career.
Tonight’s final represents, for many of the participants, a decisive opportunity to make their mark in a highly competitive market, before an audience comprising professionals, cultural programmers, agents and opera lovers.
“Cascais Opera’s mission is to identify, support and promote the next generation of opera singers, building bridges between emerging talent and major international institutions. The calibre of this year’s candidates confirms the competition’s growing recognition on the European stage,” says Alexandra Maurício, general director of Cascais Opera.
With the announcement of the winners, Cascais Opera brings to a close yet another edition marked by artistic excellence, the diverse backgrounds of the competitors and the strengthening of its international standing.
The winners at the 3rd Edition of Cascais Opera:
Special prizes and contracts
In addition to the cash prizes, the jury and partner institutions have awarded performance contracts and professional opportunities for 2026 and 2027:
- Carlos Gomes Prize / Amazonas Opera Festival: Tomislav Jukić
- Contract for a performance in 2027 + up to €3,000 towards travel expenses
- Istanbul State Opera and Ballet: Beatriz Maia
- A week of masterclasses + €1,000
- Marvão International Music Festival (FIMM): Junyoung Choi, Seonwoo Lee
- Contract to perform in 2027 + €1,000
- Óbidos Opera Festival (FOO): Ljubomir Milanović
- Contract to perform in 2027 + €1,000
- Virgilijus Noreika International Competition (Vilnius): Junyoung Choi
- Opening concert of the 4th edition (September 2026) + €1,000
- Mafra “Felipe de Sousa” Music Festival: Ljubomir Milanović, Tomislav Jukić, Wu Tongyu, Arianna Manganello
- Contract for two singers in 2027 + €1,000
- OCCO Award – best Portuguese-speaking artist: Beatriz Maia
- Performance contract + €1,000
- Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra: Nuri Park
- Performance contract in 2027 + €1,000
- Opera at the Academy and in the City (Porto): Tomislav Jukić, Seonwoo Lee
- Opera Gala in 2027 + €1,000
- Alma Mater Orchestra (Torres Novas / Médio Tejo): WuTongyu
- Concert contract for 2027 + €1,000
- Algarve International Piano Festival: Beatriz Maia
- Performance at the Festival in 2027 + €1,000
- Opera at the Academy and in the City (Porto): [Tomislav Jukić, Seonwoo Lee
- Opera Gala in 2027 + €1,000
Next edition
The 4th edition of Cascais Opera – International Singing Competition has now been confirmed for June 2027, with the final scheduled for 13 June, once again at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Grand Auditorium.
