The 25th International Opera Competition Ottavio Ziino 2026: apply today!
The Association “Il Villaggio della Musica”, under the patronage of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome (Italy), is pleased to announce the 25th International Opera Competition “Ottavio Ziino” 2026, to be held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica – Sala Sinopoli in Rome, Italy, on September 18, 19 and 20, 2026. The registration deadline is June 30, 2026.
Applications will be accepted exclusively by video submission, and at least one aria must be performed in Italian. The registration fee is €100 and the competition is open to singers born after January 1, 1993.
Maestro Massimo Biscardi, President and Superintendent of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, will serve as Jury President. The international jury includes distinguished representatives of major opera houses and festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, Bregenz Festival, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Opéra National de Paris Academy, Festival della Valle d’Itria, Savonlinna Opera Festival and Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari.
Prizes include €10,000 for First Prize, €5,000 for Second Prize and €2,500 for Third Prize, all accompanied by the “Ottavio Ziino” Cup. Additional awards include the €2,000 “Fabrizio Biondi” Special Award, the €1,500 Critics’ Award, the €1,000 “Massimo Filippucci and Maria Laura Cannilla” Prize for soprano voice, the €1,000 “Maria Zunica” Prize for an Italian singer under 25, the €1,000 Emerging Voice Prize and the €1,000 Audience Award, along with other prizes to be announced.
All semifinalists will receive a refund of the application fee and finalists may receive up to €400 travel reimbursement.
The Competition also offers important career opportunities. Selected prize winners may be invited to perform at the 2027 Festival della Valle d’Itria in Martina Franca, while a selected singer under the age of 30 may be invited to audition for the Young Singers Project of the Salzburg Festival. Jury members and partner institutions may also offer opera roles, concert engagements and international artistic collaborations to selected candidates.
Over the years, the Ottavio Ziino International Opera Competition has become an internationally respected platform for emerging opera singers and has contributed to launching the careers of artists such as Jessica Pratt, Marina Rebeka, Federica Lombardi, Simone Piazzola, Giuliana Gianfaldoni, Claudio Sgura, Veronica Simeoni, Lance Ryan, Antonio Poli, Maria Sardaryan, Youngjun Park and Emily Pogorelc, among many others currently performing on major international stages. More than a competition, the Ottavio Ziino represents a real bridge between young talent and the professional opera world, offering artistic visibility, networking opportunities and direct contact with leading artistic directors and casting professionals.
Applications and information: www.clioz.net
