Gütersloh, October 10, 2026. Arpi Sinanyan (23) from Armenia and Jiazhou Wang (22) from China are the winners of NEUE STIMMEN 2026. At 22, Wang is the youngest winner in the competition’s history. They prevailed among the eight finalists who performed at Friday evening’s final concert. Each receives €15,000 in prize money. The young singers have completed an intensive week of competition that gave them opportunities to perform before an audience, an internationally renowned jury of experts, and other leading figures from the opera world.
Alexander Neef, Chairman of the Jury and Director of the Opéra national de Paris, says: “The winners impressed us with their voices, stage presence, and individuality. This week, we encountered young singers with distinctive artistic identities and something to say. Opera needs strong individuals like these. A competition like NEUE STIMMEN can give them visibility, help them forge connections, and open up new prospects. What matters is that they find their own path and continue on it with confidence. I warmly congratulate the winners.”
Six prizewinners and a total of €60,000 in prize money: That was the outcome of the NEUE STIMMEN International Singing Competition final at the Stadthalle Gütersloh. Eight young singers performed with the Duisburg Philharmonic, conducted by Vitali Alekseenok, for the nine-member jury, an audience of opera professionals, and other guests. The top three female and male singers received awards. The final concert was streamed live on the international opera platform OperaVision. A recording of the final will also be available afterward. The individual arias from the final and semifinal will also be available on the Liz Mohn Foundation’s YouTube channel (@lizmohnstiftung).
The winners of NEUE STIMMEN 2026
Singers – women:
1st prize, €15,000: Arpi Sinanyan / Soprano, Armenia
2nd prize, €10,000: Aigerim Altynbek / Soprano, Kazakhstan
3rd prize, €5,000: Liere Wu / Soprano, China
Singers – men:
1st prize, €15,000: Jiazhou Wang / Baritone, China
2nd prize, €10,000: Irakli Pkhaladze / Bass-Baritone, Georgia
3rd prize, €5,000: Rafael Rojas / Tenor, Mexico
Special awards
In addition to the main prizes, NEUE STIMMEN recognizes special achievements with additional awards. Rafael Rojas, a tenor from Mexico, will receive the Audience Award, worth 1,000 euros, as well as the Patagonia Voice Award. Further special awards were presented during the semifinal: The €5,000 Brian Dickie Young Talent Award went to Klara Solén, mezzo-soprano from Sweden. Jiazhou Wang also received the Junior Jury Prize, worth 1,000 euros. These awards are part of NEUE STIMMEN “Creating Careers,” which supports young singers beyond the competition itself.
NEUE STIMMEN President Liz Mohn congratulates the prizewinners
Liz Mohn presented the prizes together with Jury Chairman Alexander Neef. The President of the competition and Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Liz Mohn Foundation said: “I warmly congratulate the winners on their success. I am also delighted by the impressive development all the singers have shown over the course of this week. The competition is an important step for them on the path to a national or international career. I hope the experiences and encounters they have had in Gütersloh stay with them as they continue to pursue their paths with courage, discipline, and great passion. We will continue to support them on this journey beyond the competition through our redesigned ‘Creating Careers’ program.”
From 1,126 applicants to the prizewinners
A total of 1,126 singers from 69 countries applied for NEUE STIMMEN 2026. Forty-one young opera singers from 18 countries reached the final round in Gütersloh, with 16 of them advancing to the semifinal and eight to the final. In addition to their performances, the competition week offered them individual feedback sessions, encounters with leading figures from the international opera world, and opportunities to expand their networks. This support, provided under the banner of NEUE STIMMEN “Creating Careers,” will continue beyond the competition and be further strengthened in the future: A 15-month support program will combine concerts, workshops, mentoring, and additional development and networking opportunities.
