Press releases

MINSK, 26 October (BelTA) – Applications for the participation in the second edition of the Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition have been received from 278 singers of 18 countries, BelTA learnt from the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus, the organizer of the competition.

The organizing committee of the competition praised the high activity of singers. The first Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition was held in December 2014 and drew a wide response in the music world. The first forum gathered more than 150 young singers from 20 countries. The decision was then taken to make the competition an annual event.

The second edition of the Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition will take place at the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus on 9-15 December.

On 26 October the organizing committee received 278 applications from 18 countries. Competing for the prizes will be singers from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Hungary, France, Serbia, Belgium, Mongolia, China, Canada and Mexico.

Assessing the participants in the qualifying tours and the final of the competition will be a representative international jury that will comprise theater art directors and heads of international art agencies. The panel of judges will include representatives of Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Austria, Canada. The Chairman of the jury and competition organizing committee is General Director of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus Vladimir Gridyushko.

The second edition of the Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition will have three rounds, the first two will be held with piano accompaniment, the third one with orchestral accompaniment. In the third (final) round the participants shall sing one of the leading parts of classical or modern operas. The second and the third round will be held on the main stage of the theater.

The grand-prix winner will receive $10,000 in prize money, and the first-prize winner $8,000. The second-prize winner is entitled to $6,000, and third-prize winner to $4,000.

The Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition was founded in 2014 on the initiative of the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of Belarus. Belarusbank is the general partner of the forum.