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Under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Craiova Local Council and City Hall and with the partnership of SC L&N Promotion SRL Brasov, the “Elena Teodorini” Lyric Theatre organised in Craiova, during November 6-9 2013, the first edition of the “Elena Teodorini” International Singing Contest, to take place within the 13th edition of the “Elena Teodorini” International Festival.

Elena Teodorini (1857-1926) is an emblematic figure of her birth city – Craiova, as she wrote history when debuting at the “Teatro alla Scala” of Milan, in 1880 as Marguerite in Ch. Gounod’s “Faust”. She was the first Romanian singer to ever perform on that famous stage, and she was only 23 years old. Elena Teodorini is considered one of the last acute mezzo-sopranos specialised in soprano repertoires, an impetuous and passionate performer, a genuine actress and singer, whose expressive phrases already predicted a “primadonna verista”.

The International Singing Contest named after her is opened to opera vocalists of any nationality and category, born after September 1, 1977 (women) and September 1, 1975 (men). Applicants had to prepare five arias in the universal lyric repertoire of the 18th-20th century, at their discretion. 30 applicants from four countries were registered for this first edition: Romania, Serbia, China and Moldova.

The jury included directors of outstanding European theatres and specialists of the lyric art:

Chairman:

Giampiero Sobrino – Artistic Vice-director of the Fondazione Arena di Verona, Italy

Members:

Karen Stone – General Director – Magdeburg Theatre, Germany

Dejan Savic – General Director – The Belgrade Opera Ballet Company, Serbia

Hans Bria – Director ­– Musiksommer am Zürichsee Festival, Switzerland

Marius Vlad Budoiu –  General Director – Romanian National Opera of Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Andras Kürthy – Artistic director, Hungary

Ala Cheptini – Soprano, Romania

The 3 PRIZES were established at 2,000, 1,000, respectively 500 EUR and were awarded as follows:

1st prize, ex aequo: Diana Ţugui (Soprano) and Dragoljub Bajic (Bass)

2nd prize, ex aequo: Renata Vari (Soprano) and Sandor Balla (Baritone)

3rd prize: Bianca Mărgean (Soprano)

SPECIAL PRIZES, consisting of recitals or parts to be performed in awarding theatres:

Special prize of the “Elena Teodorini” Lyrical Theatre of Craiova: Dragoljub Bajic (bass)

Special prize of the Romanian National Opera of Cluj-Napoca: Cătălin Ţoropoc (baritone)

Special prize of Musiksommer am Zürichsee, Switzerland: Diana Ţugui (soprano) and Florentina Soare (mezzo-soprano)

Special prize of the Belgrade Opera Ballet Company, Serbia: Florentina Soare (mezzo-soprano) and Renata Vari (soprano)

“Elena Teodorini” special prize of the London Academy of Arts: Mădălina Barbu (soprano)

Audience Award – Diana Ţugui (soprano)