Neue Stimmen

Neue Stimmen (New Voices) is an international singing competition.[1][2] Initiated by Liz Mohn, it was launched in 1987 to provide support for young opera singers.[3] It is considered an important forum for new talent,[4] one that has marked the beginning of international careers for many participants.[5][6] The competition is organized every two years by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in Gütersloh.[7] It is one of the foundation’s oldest projects.[8]

International Singing Competition Neue Stimmen
LocationGütersloh,
North Rhine-Westphalia
CountryGermany
Presented byBertelsmann Stiftung
First awarded1987
Websiteneue-stimmen.de

History
Maria Celeng during the final concert in 2011

In 1985, the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Herbert von Karajan gave a concert at the Gütersloh Community Center to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Bertelsmann media group.[9] During the event, Karajan spoke with Liz Mohn about the lack of programs for promoting new opera talent, saying that, compared to other countries, it was difficult to find suitable young singers in Germany.[10] As a result, Mohn, who became a member of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Advisory Board in 1986, organized an international singing competition. August Everding, general manager of the Bavarian State Theaters, played a key role by providing the specialized knowledge required to hold the event.[3][11]

Organized together with the managers’ committee of the Deutscher Bühnenverein, the association representing Germany’s theaters and orchestras, the first competition took place at the Gütersloh Community Center in October 1987.[12] In contrast to other events designed to promote new talent, the Neue Stimmen participants performed on a large stage in a concert hall, which they had to fill vocally.[9][10] They were also accompanied by a symphony orchestra. In conjunction with the competition, the Bertelsmann Stiftung organized a symposium at which experts debated cultural policy issues. The symposium was also held in subsequent years.[13]

Neue Stimmen was initially a European singing contest since only artists who trained in Europe qualified to participate.[14] One noteworthy aspect is that singers from Eastern Europe competed right from the start.[8] Beginning in the 1990s, artists from other countries also participated,[15] for example from China, Israel, Japan, Korea and the United States.[16] Neue Stimmen thus took on its current international form.[17] The number of applicants has grown steadily through the years. Approximately 1,500 applications are now submitted for each competition.[18]

After events in 1987, 1988 and 1989, the organizers began holding competitions every two years.[12] The first master class took place in 1997 and has been held ever since in the years between the competitions.[8] It supports the development of particularly talented singers who have previously competed in Neue Stimmen.[19] In 2012, a lied master class was added,[20] which was also held in 2013 and 2014.[21][22] The organizers want to use this event to maintain the lied as an art form.[20]

Competition

The Neue Stimmen competition has existed for 30 years.[23] In 2017, 1,430 singers from 76 nations applied to compete.[24] The rules stipulate that contestants must be enrolled in a music conservatory and must already have learned or performed a role.[25] Female singers up to the age of 28 and male singers up to 30 may apply.[26] The jury selects the best 40 or 45 talents during preliminary auditions. The auditions take place around the globe in impartial, professional settings, in locations such as Beijing and New York City.[27] After that, the top-performing singers are invited to Gütersloh for the final round, which consists of semifinals and finals.[28] These events are open to the public and the contestants receive support from répétiteurs.[29][30]

Since 2013, a first, second and third prize have been awarded to the top three female and top three male singers, a structure that allows for a fairer evaluation of the participants.[31] It is also possible for two contestants to tie for the same prize if the jury feels that their performances are of equal caliber.[32] An Audience Prize and other special awards designed to promote the singers’ development are also given.[33] Neue Stimmen prizewinners receive a cash award that reflects their place in the competition’s final standings.[34] They also receive long-term support, for example in securing high-profile engagements.[35] Opera house directors and agents use the competition to scout for new talent and to bring promising singers from around the world to the venues they represent.[3]

Jury

August Everding chaired the jury from 1987 to 1997 and died shortly before the 1999 competition. He was succeeded in 1999 and 2001 by René Kollo.[36] In 2001, Peter Ustinov became honorary jury chairman and patron of the Neue Stimmen competition.[37][38] Gérard Mortier led the jury in 2003, 2005 and 2007, a role that has been filled by Dominique Meyer since 2009.[39]

The competition’s artistic director is Gustav Kuhn. Brian Dickie is responsible for the preliminary auditions.[8]

Winners
1987
1988
  • First place: Izabela Labuda (soprano)[41]
  • Second place: Heike Theresa Terjung (lyric mezzo-soprano)[8]
  • Third place: Ingrid Kertesi (coloratura soprano)[8]
1989
1991
1993
  • First place: Marina Ivanova (coloratura soprano)[8]
  • Second place: Laura Polverelli (mezzo-soprano)[8]
  • Third place: Nicola Beller (lyric soprano)[8]
1995
1997
  • First place: Eteri Gvazava (soprano)[8]
  • Second place: Tigran Martirossian (bass)[8]
  • Third place: Soon-Won Kang (bass)[8]
1999
  • First place: Tina Schlenker (lyric coloratura soprano)[43]
  • Second place: Andrei Dounaev (tenor)[43]
  • Third place: Paul Gay (bass baritone)[43]
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
  • First place: Eunju Kwon (soprano)[48]
  • Second place: Kihwan Sim (bass baritone)[48]
  • Third place: JunHo You (tenor)[48]
2011
  • First place: Olga Bezsmertna (lyric soprano)[49]
  • Second place: Jongmin Park (bass)[49]
  • Third place: Xiahou Jinxu (tenor)[49]
2013
  • First place: Nicole Car (soprano), Nadine Sierra (soprano), Myong-Hyun Lee (tenor)[32]
  • Second place: Oleg Tibulco (bass)[32]
  • Third place: Kristina Mkhitaryan (soprano), Oleksandr Kyreiev (baritone)[32]
2015
  • First place: Elsa Dreisig (soprano), Anatoli Sivko (bass)[50]
  • Second place: Miriam Albano (mezzo-soprano), Darren Pati (tenor)[50]
  • Third place: Bongiwe Nakani (mezzo-soprano), Lukhanyo Moyake (tenor)[50]
2017
  • First place: Svetlina Stoyanova (mezzo-soprano), Cho ChanHee (bass)[51]
  • Second place: Emily D’Angelo (mezzo-soprano), Johannes Kammler (baritone)[52]
  • Third place: Zlata Khershberg (mezzo-soprano), Mingjie Lei (tenor)[52]
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References
  1. August Everding (March 23, 1997). "Neue Stimmen: Viele singen um ihr Lebensglück". Welt am Sonntag (in German). p. 27.
  2. Neue Stimmen 1999, a TV documentary by Anette Kanzler und Konstanze Brill for ARD.
  3. "Die Idee hatte Herbert von Karajan". Westfalen-Blatt (in German). November 28, 2012.
  4. "Talentschmiede gewährt Blick hinter die Kulissen". Die Glocke (in German). September 29, 2016. p. 21.
  5. "Mit ganzem Herzen". Westfalen-Blatt (in German). June 18, 2011.
  6. "Ein wahrer Jungbrunnen für die künftige Opernszene". Sächsische Zeitung (in German). October 20, 2005. p. 7.
  7. "Bertelsmann-Stiftung sucht Neue Stimmen". Rhein-Zeitung (in German). January 10, 2011. p. 26.
  8. "Neue Stimmen 1987–2016 (Chronologie)" (in German). Bertelsmann Stiftung. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  9. Liz Mohn (2008). Liebe öffnet Herzen (in German). München: Goldmann Verlag. p. 105–110. ISBN 978-3-641-02988-3.
  10. Liz Mohn (2011). Schlüsselmomente: Erfahrungen eines engagierten Lebens (in German). München: C. Bertelsmann Verlag. p. 69–76. ISBN 978-3-641-07123-3.
  11. Harald Stazol (1999). "Die Meistersinger von Gütersloh". Stern (in German) (42).
  12. "Neue Stimmen – Internationaler Gesangswettbewerb im Portrait" (in German). Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  13. "Zwischen Kunst und Kommerz: Symposium widmet sich Musikkultur in der Zukunft". Lausitzer Rundschau (in German). May 30, 1997. p. 19.
  14. "Bertelsmann-Stiftung: Ausgaben steigen auf 16,4 Millionen D-Mark. Durch Verbesserung staatlicher Strukturen soll Gemeinwohl-Beitrag geleistet werden". Handelsblatt (in German). April 5, 1990. p. 6.
  15. "Olympiade für Nachwuchskünstler: Neue Stimmen mit internationalen Talenten". Neue Westfälische (in German). May 7, 2003.
  16. Carl H. Hiller (October 31, 1991). "Neue Stimmen im Wettstreit: 4. Sängerwettstreit der Bertelsmann-Stiftung". Bonner General-Anzeiger (in German). p. 17.
  17. "Chance für den Opernnachwuchs: Internationaler Gesangswettbewerb der Bertelsmann-Stiftung". Neue Westfälische (in German). January 22, 2009.
  18. "Neue Stimmen gefragt". Neue Westfälische (in German). May 10, 2005.
  19. "Meisterkurs und Galakonzert: Neue Stimmen zum ersten Mal im neuen Theater". Neue Westfälische (in German). October 16, 2010.
  20. "Das Lied als Kunstform". Westfalen-Blatt (in German). October 3, 2012.
  21. Stefan Lind (October 5, 2013). "Ein Fest der Klassik". Westfalen-Blatt (in German).
  22. "Feuer und Alarm: Neue Stimmen im Konzerthaus". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). November 18, 2014. p. 25.
  23. "Gütersloh: Runder Geburtstag". Gala (in German) (20). 2017. p. 101.
  24. "1.430 Bewerbungen bei Neue Stimmen". Bielefelder Tageblatt (in German). April 28, 2017. p. 30.
  25. "Neue Stimmen 2017 (Bewerbungsbroschüre)" (PDF) (in German). Bertelsmann Stiftung. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  26. "Gesangswettbewerb Neue Stimmen ausgeschrieben – Altersgrenze gesenkt". Musik Heute (in German). January 30, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  27. "Neue Stimmen so international wie nie". Die Glocke (in German). April 28, 2017. p. 21.
  28. Stefan Lind (October 7, 2013). "Neue Stimmen: Heute geht's los. 40 junge Operntalente sind in Gütersloh eingetroffen". Westfalen-Blatt (in German).
  29. Stefan Lind (October 17, 2011). "Finale ist längst ausverkauft". Westfalen-Blatt (in German).
  30. "19 Sänger im Semifinale". Westfalen-Blatt (in German). October 10, 2013.
  31. "Neue Stimmen mit veränderter Preisstruktur: Soprane und Tenöre künftig getrennt". Neue Westfälische (in German). January 17, 2013.
  32. Barbara Brunnert (October 14, 2013). "Ausnahmsweise drei Sieger". Westfalen-Blatt (in German).
  33. Matthias Gans (October 29, 2007). "Sängerpersönlichkeiten mit großer Perspektive". Neue Westfälische (in German).
  34. "Neue Stimmen zeichnen Sieger aus". Rhein-Zeitung (in German). October 26, 2015. p. 31.
  35. Christian Horwedel (December 2, 1999). "Neue Stimmen 1999: Die Meistersinger von Gütersloh im Wettbewerb". Berliner Morgenpost (in German). p. 31.
  36. "René Kollo Jury-Chef bei Neue Stimmen". Sächsische Zeitung (in German). August 20, 1999. p. 14.
  37. "Peter Ustinov übernimmt Gesangsjury-Ehrenvorsitz". Berliner Zeitung (in German). March 27, 2001. p. 10.
  38. "Telegramm: Jury-Ehrenvorsitz für Peter Ustinov". Hamburger Morgenpost (in German). March 27, 2001.
  39. Gütersloh TV, ed. (November 28, 2012). "Jubiläumskonzert zu 25 Jahre Neue Stimmen 2012 am 1. Dezember im Theater der Stadt Gütersloh" (in German). Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  40. Matthias Gans (December 3, 2012). "Feine Öhrchen in Gütersloh – 25 Jahre Neue Stimmen: Geburtstagsgala mit Gewinnern des Wettbewerbs" (in German).
  41. "Zum Angedenken an Urzula Mitrenga". Südwest Presse (in German). November 7, 2012. p. 20.
  42. "Eine Entdeckung von Gustav Kuhn". Kronen Zeitung (in German). May 21, 2015. p. 46.
  43. "Als Zerlina zum Sieg: Deutsche gewinnt internationalen Preis". Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). October 14, 1999.
  44. "Türkischer Bassist gewinnt Wettbewerb". Leipziger Volkszeitung (in German). May 21, 2001. p. 15.
  45. "Counter-Tenor errang ersten Preis im Wettbewerb Neue Stimmen". Die Welt (in German). October 27, 2003. p. 27.
  46. "Argentinierin gewinnt bei Neue Stimmen". Berliner Zeitung (in German). October 24, 2005. p. 25.
  47. "Lettin gewinnt Neue Stimmen". Nürnberger Nachrichten (in German). October 29, 2007.
  48. Jeanette Salzmann (November 2, 2009). "Diese Stimmen treffen ins Herz". Neue Westfälische (in German).
  49. Stefan Lind (October 24, 2011). "Ein Sopran überstrahlt alles". Westfalen-Blatt (in German).
  50. "Gewinner stehen fest". Göttinger Tageblatt (in German). October 27, 2015. p. 13.
  51. "Neue Stimmen für die Opernwelt". Rhein-Zeitung (in German). October 16, 2017. p. 31.
  52. "Neue Stimmen aus Bulgarien und Südkorea". Die Glocke (in German). October 15, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.

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