The fourth edition of the prestigious Competition gathered a large number of applications from different regions of Ukraine.
This year, despite all the challenges and fears of war, more than 60 young singers aged 16 to 30 took part in the Competition. Most of them are from different parts of Ukraine, there is a participant from the USA, as well as Ukrainian singers who came to Lviv from Poland, Slovakia, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
The first round took place online. The auditions of the second round took place in the concert halls of the Ivan Franko Lviv National University and the Myroslav Skoryk Lviv National Philharmonic. In the third round of the Competition, the Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra was involved under the direction of Ivan Cherednichenko.
Grand Prix Prize – Volodymyr Shchygil,
in the II category: 1st prize – Oleksandr Nikiforov, 2nd prize – Olena Skitsko, Oleksandr Chishiy, 3rd prize – Oleksiy Pigolenko, Veronika Mostova.
Mykhailo Sas, Iryna Polomana, and Yaroslav Komarnitsky became diploma graduates of the competition.
Winners of the 1st category: 1st prize – Lyubov Ostrovska, 2nd prize – Maksym Savchuk, 3rd prize – Olga Melnychuk.
Graduates – Daria Pohorila, Volodymyr Gira.
The awards were presented to the laureates by Ivan Sobko, the deputy head of the Lviv OVA.
“Vasyl Slipak is a Ukrainian, a singer, a soldier. With pride for his Motherland, he gave his talent to the world. Cheered for Ukraine. Talent, singing – as a person of art. Sacrifice, brave decisions, masculine courage – like a warrior. He is an example of true national consciousness. A world-famous, great artist. Simple and modest. A person who was trusted.
Thanks to the organizers of the competition for the opportunity for young artists to popularize Ukrainian national opera art. I wish the participants further implementation of their creative ideas and plans, purposeful artistic progress, inspiration and successful promotion of Ukrainian music in the world,” said Ivan Sobko.
Live broadcast of the awards ceremony:
Awards to contestants, in addition to traditional awards to laureates, were complemented by special awards and honors from partners, patrons and friends of the Competition.
The partners of the Competition are the Vasyl Slipak Foundation, the Ukrainian Bandurist Band of North America named after Taras Shevchenko and the Department of Musicology and Choral Art of the Faculty of Culture and Arts of Ivan Franko Lviv National University. This year’s edition of the Competition has special support in the form of a partnership with the official representative of the French brand DS Automobiles in Lviv by Ilta Lviv LLC.
The competition is held with the support of the Lviv Regional Military Administration and the Lviv Regional Council.
The idea of the competition was born in the Lviv Philharmonic, and on December 20, on the stage of the Lyudkevich Concert Hall, the winners of the Competition in 2023 were announced.
The creative competition was judged by an authoritative jury headed by the world-famous opera singer (mezzo-soprano), honorary president of the Galician Music Society, professor of singing at the Mozarteum University – Zoryana Kushpler (Ukraine – Austria).
Jury members are well-known artists, including: opera director and artistic manager – Axel Kresin (Germany); world-famous opera singer (soprano), soloist of the Lviv National Opera, vocal teacher of the Lviv National Academy of Music named after M.V. Lysenko – Sofia Solovyi (Ukraine); conductor, music director of the Lviv National Opera – Ivan Cherednichenko (Ukraine) and world-famous opera singer (bass), soloist of the Nuremberg State Opera Theater – Taras Konoshchenko (Ukraine – Germany). The Director of the Competition is Oleg Sozanskyi, Honored Artist of Ukraine.
Source: Lviv Philharmonic, photo: Vitaly Grabar
For reference:
Vasyl Yaroslavovych Slipak (December 20, 1974 – June 29, 2016) is an outstanding Ukrainian opera singer (bass-baritone), soloist of the Paris National Opera, volunteer, participant in hostilities during the Russian-Ukrainian war in eastern Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, Knight of the Order of courage” of the 1st degree, call sign “Myth”. Died during the fighting in Donetsk region.
He had a unique timbre of voice that combined features of both a countertenor and a baritone. Conquered the most famous stages of opera houses: the Bastille, the main hall of UNESCO in Paris, Covent Garden, the Krakow Opera and dozens of others.