X Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Artists Competition 30 May - 4 June 2026

About the competition

The Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Artists Competition was first held in Moscow in 2006 by the initiative of the legendary Russian singer and right off came into spotlight as a major Russian and international music culture event. The concept behind the Competition is to give the young aspiring singers a chance to prove themselves opera artists; therefore the program includes only the opera repertoire.
The Competition is established by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Department of Culture of the City of Moscow and by the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre. The Founders and the Organizing Committee has stated the Competition for young singers is to take place in Moscow every second year.

The X International Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Artists Competition will be held in the year of Galina Vishnevskaya’s 100th anniversary – in 2026.

X Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Artists Competition

January 12 — May 1, 2026
Admission audition: contestants selection by video-recordings

Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre
May 30, 31 |11.00
First Round

June 1, 2  |11.00
Second Round

Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory
June 4  |17.00
Third Round
Awards Ceremony

The Third Round and the winners awarding ceremony of the X Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Artists Competition, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the legendary singer, took place in the Grand Hall of the Сonservatory on June 4, 2026.

The Chairlady of the jury, the Artistic director of the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre, and a Honoured arts professional of the Russian Federation, Olga Rostropovich, congratulated all the contestants on their participation in the Competition, thanked the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Rosconcert, the Department of Culture of the city of Moscow, as well as the Competition’s jury, the Opera Centre’s team, and the audience.

The jury has continued the tradition of awarding its own prizes to the contestants. Olga Rostropovich awarded special prizes to Anna Eliseeva and Vladimir Pushkaryov – a year of study at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre free of charge.

Fabio Armiliato invited Sofia Sakaniya to perform in the gala concert dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Daniela Dessì’s demise, in order to present the Daniela Dessì memorial award.

The General Director of the Hungarian State Opera, Szilveszter Ókovács, awarded his prize to Sofia Sakaniya, Kirill Popov, Chingis Bairov, and Konstantin Fedotov – participation in the performance of Tchaikovsky’s «Eugene Onegin».

Sofia Rukin, the artistic manager of the TACT agency, invited all the finalists to an audition and offered Sofia Sakaniya a collaboration.

Special prizes of the Competition: 
Prize for artistry – Chingis Bairov, baritone 
Prize for the best performance of a Russian aria – Kirill Popov, tenor 
Audience choice award – Maria Seleverstova, soprano 
Diploma for the best accompanist – Georgy Migunov.

Laureates of the X International Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Artists Competition are: 
Third prize – Maria Seleverstova, soprano and Anatoly Badaev, bass 
Second prize – Sofia Sakaniya, soprano and Ivan Borodulin, countertenor
First prize – Chingis Bairov, baritone 

The XI Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Artists Competition will take place in 2028.

 

I prize  1 000 000 Russian rubles *
II prize  700 000 Russian rubles *
III prize  500 000 Russian rubles *
*before taxes

Admissions are open till May 1, 2026

The application should be submitted alongside the video-recordings within May 1, 2026 at gvcompetition@gmail.com

For any additional information please contact us at +7 (495) 637-56-37

Jury

Participants

Conditions

COMPETITION PROCEDURE

— Women aged 21 to 30 inclusive and
— Men aged 22 to 32 inclusive
are eligible to take part in the Competition
No exceptions to this rule are applicable

— the admission audition is based on video-recordings of two opera arias (scenes) lasting for a total of no longer than 15 minutes
— all Competition performances are public
— the Competition performance order is defined by the draw and is kept till the end of the Competition
— the Competition consists of three rounds
— the number of participants admitted to the I round should not exceed 50
— the I and the II rounds are held at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre
— the I round, accompanied by piano, is for the contestant to perform two opera arias of the above listed repertoire
— the II round, accompanied by piano, is for the contestant to perform two opera arias (one must be Russian)
— the III round, accompanied by a symphony orchestra, is for the contestants to perform two opera arias or scenes
— in total, during the three Competition rounds in Moscow, the contestant shall perform six different arias, at least one of which must be from the Russian repertoire
— arias from the admission audition by video-recordings may be performed again in the next rounds in Moscow
— all music works are performed in the original language and key
— all the participants are to provide the scores for their program

 

 

FINANCIAL CONDITIONS

The Competition provides the contestants admitted to the I, II and III rounds with the following:
— hotel accommodation (breakfast included) for the period of actual participation in the Competition
— accompanist and a rehearsal time-slot to get ready for the performance at the I and II rounds
— accompanist for the performance at the I and II rounds
— invitation for the visa application (foreign contestants)

If the contestant fails to get to the next round, he must check-out the hotel the next day, before the time specified in the hotel rules, or extend the stay at his own expense.
It is allowed to perform with own accompanist during the I and II rounds (accommodation and other expenses of the accompanist are covered by the contestant).

Compulsory organisational fee for the Competition participants, who were admitted to the in-person I round – is 3000 (two thousand) Russian rubles (approx. 40 USD / 35 EUR) and is to be paid before the draw procedure at the Opera Centre on the spot, or via bank transfer (download invoice). 

COMPETITION PROGRAM

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The following files should be attached:

The application should be submitted alongside the video-recordings within May 1, 2026 at gvcompetition@gmail.com

WINNERS

PRESS CENTRE

Galina Vishnevskaya VII International Opera Singers Competition

On June 7 2019, the final III round of the Galina Vishnevskaya VII International Opera Singers Competition was held at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theater.
 
Olga Rostropovich, Chairman of the Jury, opened the prize-winners awarding ceremony with congratulations to the contestants and greetings and thanks to the friends and partners of the competition and, of course, the audience, who has supported and worried about young singers during for all these days.
 
Then, the results of Jury vote were announced.
Special prizes:
One year of study at the Galina Vshnevskaya Opera Centre free of charge — Ilia Kazakov;
Participation in the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre repertoire performance — Giorgi Chelidze;
Prize for the best Russian aria performance — went to Erika Baikoff (USA);
Audience Appreciation prize — Julia Muzychenko;
Prize for the Best Accompanist — Valery Gerasimov.
 
This year’s competition novelty: each member of the Jury had the opportunity to award his own special prize to the chosen singer.
For instance, the Casting director of the Washington Opera, Samuel Gelber, invited the contestant from South Korea Byeong Min Gil to audition, the singer also received an invitation to take part in a concert in Parma from Anna Maria Meo and in a performance at the Royal Opera of Liege from Stefano Mazzonis; 
Giorgi Chelidze was invited by Sebastian Schwarz to Malmö and by Christina Sheppelmann to Barcelona, as well as by Miguel Lerin who promised an audition for the singer in Spain. Badri Maysuradze is going to discuss a part in the performance of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater for Mongolian singer Badral Chuluunbaatar. The prize from casting director at  Hamburg Opera — Annette Weber, went to Julia Muzychenko.
Such proposals, of course, are precious to young performers.
 
After that, Olga Rostropovich has announced the winners of the Competition:
III prize — Palesa Malieloa (South Africa)
II prize — Badral Chuluunbaatar (Mongolia)
I prize and a golden medal went to Byeong Min Gil (South Korea)
 
Congratulations!

7 June 2019

Galina Vishnevskaya VII International Opera Singers Competition

On June 7 2019, the final III round of the Galina Vishnevskaya VII International Opera Singers Competition was held at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theater.
 
Olga Rostropovich, Chairman of the Jury, opened the prize-winners awarding ceremony with congratulations to the contestants and greetings and thanks to the friends and partners of the competition and, of course, the audience, who has supported and worried about young singers during for all these days.
 
Then, the results of…