On Saturday evening, the 14th International Masterclass of NEUE STIMMEN concluded in the festively decorated foyer of the Bertelsmann Foundation in front of around 250 invited guests. For a week, the young opera talents worked on their voices and artistic expression. At the final concert, they were able to showcase their skills to directors, agents, and invited guests from culture, business, and the media.
From Bizet to Bernstein
The 12 international talents from 11 nations sang arias from well-known operas and musicals – from “Carmen” to “West Side Story.” The program was rounded off with duets and ensembles, where all the singers performed together on stage.
Liz Mohn, President of the Liz Mohn Center and initiator of the International Singing Competition NEUE STIMMEN, is delighted with the festive highlight of the intensive masterclass week in Gütersloh: “This evening, we could feel the magic and glamour of opera. The young talents from all over the world not only sang for us, they evoked emotions. When we listen to opera music, we are not always aware of how much dedication, sacrifice, and practice goes into vocal training. During the masterclass week, I get to experience this discipline and hard work up close. The final concert is then a very special experience: music always manages to connect people.”
Liz Mohn’s Surprise
Liz Mohn surprised her guests at the beginning of the evening with a performance by the children’s choir “Cantara.” The visibly moved audience could experience live how intensely music can create a sense of community. With the large and small singers of the concert, almost 20 nations were represented in the foyer of the Bertelsmann Foundation.
The evening was hosted by Axel Brüggemann, one of Germany’s most prominent cultural journalists and moderators, who had already coached the singers in media handling during the past week. He welcomed Liz Mohn and her invited guests, as well as this year’s masterclass instructors: internationally acclaimed soprano Annette Dasch, body and voice trainer John Norris, Ralph Strehle, performance psychology expert and director of a program for young singers in Italy, and three internationally working pianists who supported the young artists musically.
Masterclass Continuation Planned in Augsburg
The 14th International Masterclass of NEUE STIMMEN will have a continuation after the week in Gütersloh for the first time. NEUE STIMMEN is entering into a cooperation with the State Theater Augsburg. Thanks to this collaboration, a large part of this year’s masterclass participants will have the opportunity to attend three more workshops in Augsburg in the spring. Together with the State Theater, we will provide information about the innovative, unique learning offer for young singers in November.
A New Competition Year Begins Soon
From November 15, 2023, young opera singers worldwide will again have the opportunity to apply for the International Singing Competition NEUE STIMMEN for the coming year. The final in autumn 2024 promises to be exciting: in the competition year 2021/22, around 1400 applicants from 67 nations applied.
