Schedule / Programme
Opening of applications : 1 March 2026
Application deadline : 1 May 2026
Preselection Round
Late May 2026
Selection based on video submissions
First Round - Closed-door audition
19 - 21 September 2026
HEMU – Haute École de Musique, Utopia 1, Lausanne
Semi-final
2 - 3 October 2026
BCV Concert Hall, Lausanne
Open to the public
Free entry, subject to available seating
Final
16 October 2026
Opéra de Lausanne
The six finalists will have the opportunity to perform the final round on the stage of the Opéra de Lausanne. They will be accompanied by the HEMU Orchestra, conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni.
Programme
Preselection Round
Les candidat·es doivent soumettre deux enregistrements vidéo répondant aux critères suivants :
- un air d’opéra ou d’oratorio,
- un Lieder/mélodie,
- au moins deux langues,
- deux époques différentes parmi les suivantes : baroque, classique, romantique,
moderne ou contemporaine.
First Round - Closed-door audition
Maximum 48 candidates
15 minutes per candidate, all inclusive
Three or four pieces of the candidate's choice according to the following criteria:
- One or two opera or oratorio arias
- One or two Lied(er) / melodies
- Performance in two languages, including at least one aria in French
- Arias from two different musical periods
Semi-final
12 semi-finalists
25 minutes per semi-finalist, performed from memory, all inclusive
Programme freely chosen by the candidate, including at minimum the following criteria:
- Voice and piano programme (no staging)
- Performance in two languages, including at least one aria in French
- Candidates presenting a contemporary programme of at least 10 minutes (works written after 1950 and non-tonal) will automatically be eligible for the Contemporary Music Prize.
Final with the HEMU Orchestra conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni
6 finalists
20 minutes per finalist
Two opera arias from different periods chosen according to the following criteria:
- The candidate proposes three arias, from which two will be selected by the jury for performance.
- Arias must be chosen from a predefined list. If it is established that no aria from this list, or an insufficient number of arias, matches the nature of the candidate's voice, the candidate may, exceptionally, propose one or more repertoire alternatives. This proposal must meet the requirements of the time allotted for each candidate and the orchestral forces made available for the final round. The artistic direction of the competition rules on these proposals and its decision may not be appealed.