Agnesi

International Music Competition

Headquarters: Via Antonio Mosca, 30

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Jury

 
Tiziana Fabbricin

 

President of the jury.
A soprano of international fame, she made her debut as Violetta in “La Traviata” at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan conducted by Riccardo Muti, winning over audiences and critics who called her “La Traviata” of the 1990s.
She has graced the stages of the world’s greatest theaters, including the Metropolitan in New York, the Vienna State Opera, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, the San Carlo in Naples, the Rome Opera and many others.
She has worked with legendary directors such as Franco Zeffirelli, Robert Carsen and Liliana Cavani and with world-famous conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Chailly, Antonio Pappano, Sir Charles Mackerras and Fabio Luisi.
Her repertoire ranges from the operas of Verdi and Donizetti to the masterpieces of Bel Canto, up to contemporary works and world premieres. She has interpreted iconic roles in Lucia di Lammermoor, Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, Macbeth, Tosca, Manon Lescaut, La Voix Humaine and many others.
She has taught at prestigious institutions such as the Accademia di Bel Canto “Rodolfo Celletti”, the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo, the A. Vivaldi Conservatory in Alessandria. She currently collaborates with the Accademia dei Mestieri dell’Opera del Teatro Carlo Coccia in Novara.Donizetti in Bergamo, the A. Vivaldi Conservatory in Alessandria. She currently collaborates with the Accademia dei Mestieri dell’Opera del Teatro Carlo Coccia in Novara.

Italy

Italy

 
Mario Calisi
 

Mario Calisi, pianist, composer, conductor – is a musician, scholar and teacher recognized by international critics. Professor at the Conservatory of Music “G. VERDI” in Milan, since 2009 and former professor of “Study of instrumentation applied to the score” in the Master’s Degree in Musicology at the State University of Milan.

Among the many awards, in 1994 he was awarded the title of “Grand Officier de l’Ordre Mondiale de la Science Musicale” in Geneva.

He has played in Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Poland, Lichtenstein, Bulgaria, Brazil, Istria, Croatia, Dalmatia, Yugoslavia, where he has released concert recordings for the Radio and Television of those countries.

W, Stettler, musicologist and music critic, defined him as:

“… an eclectic, profound, coherent musician… Mario Calisi, a pianist with a diamond sound, fascinates and enraptures even the most demanding audience… His sense of metrics and observance of tempos recalls Glen Gould in his charm”.

 
Tiziana Scandaletti

 

Tiziana Scandaletti, described by the Washington Post as “a big voice that projects both humor and theatricality vividly”, is one of the most refined interpreters of twentieth-century and contemporary vocal chamber music.
She graduated with honors in Singing from the Conservatory of Vicenza and with honors in History of Music from the University of Padua, perfecting her skills with teachers such as Magda Olivero and Alan Curtis.
She has performed on the stages of the most important international theaters and festivals, including the Teatro alla Scala, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the MiTo Festival, the Fondazione Arena di Verona, the Teatro La Fenice and the Carlo Felice in Genoa.
World-famous composers, including Ennio Morricone, Giacomo Manzoni and Fabio Vacchi, have written and dedicated pieces to her voice, recognizing her expressiveness and interpretative talent.
With the composer and pianist Riccardo Piacentini she founded the Duo Alterno, active since 1997 with over 600 concerts and masterclasses all over the world, exploring the Italian vocality of the twentieth century and contemporary.
A full professor of Vocal Chamber Music at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan, she is considered a point of reference for the training of new generations of interpreters of the vocal chamber repertoire.

Italy

Italy

 
 
Antonio Stragapede
 
Antonio Stragapede, born in Molfetta (BA), studied singing with M.L. Cioni and A. Bertacchi, perfecting his skills with R. Celletti, Leo Nucci, Katia Ricciarelli, P. Cappuccilli and C. Bergonzi. Graduated in Law, he obtained a Master in “Cultural Management and Event Organization”. He is the winner of prestigious international competitions including “Mattia Battistini”, “Voci Verdiane di Parma”, “Katia Ricciarelli” and “Mario del Monaco”. He debuted in *The Magic Flute in Cremona, starting a brilliant career that took him to the main Italian and international theaters, including Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, Regio in Parma, Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague, Moscow and New York. She has performed leading roles in Rigoletto, La Bohème, Aida, Tosca, Carmen, Il Trovatore, Nabucco, La Traviata, Falstaff, Don Giovanni and Andrea Chénier. She has collaborated with conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, M. Viotti, P. G. Morandi, D. Agiman and directors such as S. Vizioli, U. Gregoretti and G. Deflò. She regularly holds masterclasses and has taught at various Italian conservatories. She is currently a professor of Opera Singing at the “N. Piccinni” Conservatory in Bari.
 

Fabio Mastrangelo

 

Fabio Mastrangelo, an internationally renowned Italian conductor. He studied piano at the Niccolò Piccinni Conservatory, specializing at the Geneva Conservatory and the Royal Academy of Music in London. He studied conducting with Leonard Bernstein and Karl Österreicher.

He has conducted prestigious orchestras in Italy, Canada, Russia and other countries, collaborating with institutions such as the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he conducted operas such as Aida and La Traviata.

Since 2013 he has been the Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg Musical Theatre. He has held prestigious roles in international theaters and in 2016 he received the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

He currently conducts world-famous orchestras, promoting classical music and supporting new generations of musicians.

Russia

Italy

 

Alessandro Ariosi

 

Born in Milan in 1977, Alessandro Ariosi embarked on a training path that led him to graduate in International Relations, combining academic studies with musical ones from the beginning, to deepen and complete his passion for opera.

At 24 years old, he began his professional experience as a manager, realizing the dream of collaborating with some of the greatest artists of the international opera scene and with the main opera houses in the world.

In 2011, he founded the agency Ariosi Management, which today represents a point of reference in the global opera scene. Since then, he has had the privilege of following established artists such as Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigòlo, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Jonathan Tetelman, Leo Nucci and Yusif Eyvazov, as well as accompanying the growth of young emerging talents with attention and dedication.

He personally follows the career of each artist, thus realizing his professional aspiration: to combine his passion for opera with artistic management. She expertly takes care of every phase of professional development, valorizing individual peculiarities and establishing solid collaborations with theatres, festivals and promoters at an international level, with the aim of bringing out the maximum potential of each voice.

 

Simone Maria Marziali

 

Simone Maria Marziali, a conductor, vocal coach, and opera agent, he studied piano at the Fiesole School of Music, graduating with honors from the Livorno Conservatory, and specializing in opera conducting at the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna. He collaborated for over 12 years with the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago and with theaters in Italy, Australia, France, and Japan, working alongside renowned conductors such as Keri-Lynn Wilson and Alberto Veronesi. He has conducted operas such as La Bohème, Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Aida, Attila, and La Rondine at international festivals and theaters. Also active as a vocal coach, he holds masterclasses in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Since 2022, he has been the Artistic and Musical Director of the Accademia Verdiana “Carlo Bergonzi” in Busseto. Founder of the Musikos agency, he is regularly invited to serve on the judging panel of prestigious international opera competitions.

Italy

Estonia

 

Helen Lepalaan

 

Helen Lepalaan, mezzo-soprano and casting manager of the Estonian National Opera (Tallinn).

Her mezzo-soprano career includes debuts at some of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Welsh National Opera, the Liège Opera, the Seoul Art Center, the Estonian National Opera, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and the Koblenz Opera. She has performed major roles in her repertoire, including Suzuky, Dorabella, Sesto, Giulio Cesare, Carmen, Cenerentola, Rosina, and Maddalena, as well as major Russian roles and a vast sacred and symphonic repertoire.
Since 2015, she has been casting director of the Estonian National Opera in Tallinn. She has also worked as a singing teacher at prestigious academies, including the Estonian Academy of Music in Tallinn, the Vienna Opera Festival, and the Accademia Verdiana Carlo Bergonzi in Busseto.

Competition

A high-profile competition dedicated to opera singing, open to singers of any nationality and vocal register. The competition celebrates the extraordinary figure of Maria Teresa Agnesi, a pioneer of opera and female musical culture in the 18th century, enhancing vocal and interpretative excellence in the international opera scene.

Participation is selective and highly qualifying: candidates will face an online pre-selection followed by a semi-final and final in person, in front of an internationally renowned jury composed of artists, agents, artistic directors, directors and conservatory teachers. A concrete opportunity to be heard by key figures in the sector.

With just one category, open to singers aged 18 to 36, the competition represents a stage of absolute importance for those who wish to put themselves to the test with professionalism and passion, bringing their voice to where history, talent and artistic vision meet.

Rules

The rules of the Agnesi International Opera Competition are designed to ensure clarity, rigor and enhancement of vocal talent in every phase of the competition.

The competition is open to opera singers of any nationality, in a single category that allows each participant to compete at a high level, in line with the requirements of the international professional scene.

The selections include a preliminary online phase, followed by a semi-final and final in person at the suggestive Villa Borromeo in Arcore, in a welcoming and artistically inspiring environment.

The tests will be evaluated by a highly qualified international jury, composed of opera singers, conductors and prestigious artistic agents, with the aim of identifying and promoting the most promising and authentic vocal personalities.

Prizes

The Agnesi International Opera Competition rewards excellence in opera singing with awards designed to support and enhance the artistic career of participants.

In addition to the prizes for the top three, the competition includes special prizes dedicated to particular artistic merits: from the best female interpretation in the name of Maria Teresa Agnesi, to the Youth Award, to the extraordinary recognition dedicated to Johann Strauss, on the occasion of the bicentenary of his birth, and to the Audience Award, a direct expression of the appreciation of listeners.

The awarded singers will have the opportunity to perform in selected concert contexts and to benefit from the visibility offered by a high-profile international competition.

For every voice, an authentic opportunity to leave a mark. For every performer, a scene that can become history.

Winners

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