Agnesi
International Music Competition
International Music Competition
Regulations
The Agnesi International Music Competition, Opera Singing section, is a competition open to opera singers of any nationality. Its aim is to promote international vocal and interpretative excellence, to enhance the international operatic repertoire, and to foster the artistic and professional growth of the participants.
The competition is open to opera singers of any vocal register (including falsettists) born between 1 January 1990 and 22 November 2008, that is, aged between 18 and 36.
The Organisation of the Agnesi International Music Competition will entrust the evaluation of the candidates of the Opera Singing section to a distinguished Jury, composed of high-profile figures from the international music world, including:
The Jury will assess the performances on the basis of interpretative quality, vocal technique, stylistic awareness, stage presence and artistic personality.
Every decision of the Jury, at each stage of the competition, is final and unquestionable.
Within the Agnesi International Music Competition, the Organisation establishes two special prizes dedicated to Opera Singing: the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years” and the Special Prize “Petre Munteanu”.
Dedicated to the genius of Giacomo Puccini, the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years” is an opportunity to celebrate the centenary of one of the most beautiful operas composed by the great master.
Participation in the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years” is optional and does not entail any additional registration fee.
For the 2026 edition, candidates who include in their Semifinal programme an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Turandot” will be eligible to compete for the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years”.
The Jury will award the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years” to the candidate who stands out for excellence in interpretation, artistic maturity and the ability to enhance the chosen repertoire.
Strongly championed by Vittoria Licari, the Special Prize “Petre Munteanu” was created to honour and keep alive the memory of the great tenor of Romanian origin who made Italy his artistic homeland.
All tenors registered for the Agnesi International Music Competition – Opera Singing section automatically compete for the Special Prize “Petre Munteanu”, with no changes required to the musical programme submitted and with no additional fee.
The prize will be awarded to the tenor deemed most deserving among all those competing in the Agnesi International Music Competition, Opera Singing section.
The competition is divided into The competition is structured in three stages: Pre-selection, Semi-finals and Finals — the first online, the second in person from 23 to 24 November 2026 at Villa Borromeo d’Adda in Arcore (MB), and the third on 29 November 2026 at Teatro Rosetum in Milan.
To take part in the online Preselection, the candidate must record the videos of the live performances of two arias with piano accompaniment taken from the programme submitted, and send them to the Organisation, in accordance with the procedures set out in art. 8 below, no later than 31 October 2026.
Recordings may be made in either horizontal or vertical format, provided they are of good audio and video quality.
The arias must be performed in the original key and language, including — where applicable — recitative and cabaletta.
All performances received will be evaluated by the Jury, which will draw up the list of Qualified candidates through a dedicated score out of 100. Candidates who pass the preselection with a minimum score of 89/100o, btained from the average of the marks awarded by all the jurors, will be admitted to the Semifinal, held in person.
The list of Qualified candidates will be published on the official website of the Competition no later than 10 November 2026, together with the rehearsal calendar. Within the next 48 hours it will be necessary to send the scores of the programme intended to be presented for the Semifinal (see next paragraph) to the email address indicated in art.15.
Candidates admitted to the Semifinal must perform two arias selected by the Jury from the programme submitted at the time of registration (see art. 8 below).
Should the candidate also wish to compete for the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years”, at the time of registration they must include in their programme an additional aria of their choice from Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot”.
During the Semifinal, the arias must be performed in the original key and language, including — where applicable — recitative and cabaletta.
If the candidate is also competing for the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 years”, one of the two arias to be performed in the Semifinal must be the one from Puccini’s “Turandot”.
If the candidate is a tenor also competing for the Special Prize “Petre Munteanu”, one of the two arias to be performed in the Semifinal must be the one indicated for that purpose on the registration form. Should the same tenor be competing for both Special Prizes, the other aria to be performed must be the one from Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot”.
At the end of the Semifinal, the names of the candidates admitted to the Final will be announced, namely those whose performance has been awarded a minimum score of 96/100 by the Jury.
The Finals will take place in concert form on 29 November 2026 at Teatro Rosetum and may therefore be open to the public.
The aria to be performed in the Finals will be chosen by the Jury from the programme submitted by the candidate at registration.
The Jury reserves the right to request, where applicable, the additional performance of the piece submitted for the Special Prize “Turandot – 100 Years”.
At the end of the performances, the Jury will convene for a brief discussion before announcing the final rankings and the consequent competition winners.
The Jury reserves the right not to award one or more prizes should it find no candidates of an adequate standard, and to award prizes ex aequo. In such cases, the corresponding scholarship will be divided equally among the joint winners, while trophies, medals and diplomas will be awarded to each ex-aequo winner individually.
On 29 November 2026 at Teatro Rosetum in Milan, the Gran Galà Agnesi will take place — a celebratory event open to the public at which the winners will perform one or two of the pieces presented during the competition, as directed by the Jury and/or the Artistic Director.
ART. 6 – DIRECT ACCESS TO THE SEMIFINAL
The Organisation reserves the right to admit directly to the Semifinal those candidates who, in 2025 or 2026, were winners of international opera competitions of proven prestige. Applicants must submit a specific request to the Organisation no later than 15 October 2026, by sending an email to opera@agnesiinternationalcompetition.it, attaching suitable documentation certifying the result obtained.
Requests will be assessed by the Artistic Direction, which reserves the right to accept them at its sole discretion.
Candidates deemed eligible will receive an email containing a dedicated link to proceed with registration for the competition.
Direct admission to the Semifinal does not entail any exemption from payment of the registration fee, which remains due from all candidates.
All finalists will receive a diploma of participation. The following prizes will be awarded to the winners of the competition:
Special Prizes:
The scholarships of the Agnesi International Music Competition are made possible thanks to the contribution of supporters, patrons, institutions and partners who share the competition’s mission to promote and support the talent of the new generations of musicians.
The Organisation, at its sole and unquestionable discretion, reserves the right to award further prizes that may be at its disposal at the time the competition is held. It further reserves the right to invite the artists it deems deserving to take part in one or more concerts of the Agnesi circuit, as well as to introduce them to management agencies, institutions and other partners of the competition.
Each prize constitutes a single, indivisible whole. Where prizes are made up of several elements, their acceptance by the winners is understood to be integral and binding. For this reason, cash prizes will be effectively paid to the winners only after their actual participation in the concerts associated with the prizes.
To take part in the Agnesi International Music Competition – Opera Singing section, it is necessary to register no later than 31 October 2026, by completing and signing the form available on the official website of the competition www.agnesioperacompetition.com/registration, attaching the required documentation, which includes:
Important:
Attention:
Candidates who are found eligible for direct access to the Semifinal must use for their registration the form accessible from the link contained in the confirmation email received from the Organisation of the competition.
The registration fee, non-refundable, is € 100 per participant, to be paid at the time of registration in one of the following ways:
New Star a.p.s.
IBAN: IT 20 F 02008 01643 000106140781
BIC Code: UNCRITM1243
As the reason for payment, please state: “Agnesi International Opera Competition” followed by the candidate’s First name and Surname. Any bank charges for making the transfer shall be borne by the participant.
By choosing this payment method, the registration fee is increased by € 5 to cover the commission fees. The total fee of € 105 must therefore be paid to direzione@newstarmilano.it.
Candidates who so wish may request to be accompanied by one of the official pianists of the competition by ticking the relevant box on the registration form.
Candidates who wish to make use of this service must pay an additional one-off fee of € 70, which entitles them to make use of the accompanying pianist for all the stages of the competition they gain access to.
The fee must be paid after the publication, on the official website of the competition, of the list of candidates admitted to the Semifinal, at the same time as the scores are sent.
The payment methods are the same as those indicated in letters a. and b. of this article above, stating, as the reason for payment: “Accompanying pianist fee” – followed by the candidate’s first name and surname. If PayPal is chosen as the payment method, the fee must be increased by € 5 to cover the commission fees.
Alternatively, candidates are permitted to bring an accompanying pianist of their own choosing (at their own expense), stating their name on the registration form.
Admission to the competition and the evaluation of candidates take place exclusively on the basis of the requirements indicated in art. 2 and of artistic merit. The Organisation endeavours to ensure that there are no distinctions based on gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, religion, personal beliefs, or personal or social circumstances.
Candidates with disabilities or with specific needs may optionally notify the Organisation thereof through the relevant field on the registration form. In the absence of such notification, the Organisation may not be held responsible for any inability to provide support. Where notification is given, the Organisation undertakes to adopt every reasonable measure to guarantee full participation in the competition, compatibly with the architectural characteristics of the venue. For any cases that may require it, the Organisation is always available through the contacts indicated in art. 15 below. No notification of this kind shall in any way affect the evaluation of the Jury, which takes place exclusively on an artistic basis.
By registering for the Competition, the candidate declares that there are no personal, professional or legal circumstances preventing their participation or liable to harm the image, the prestige or the proper conduct of the event. The Organisation is held harmless from any liability arising from false information, declarations and/or attestations provided by participants.
The Organisation declines all liability for any damages or accidents, whether accidental or caused, before, during and after the competition, by the imprudence of the participants, or by failure to comply with the rules of conduct required by the context.
A list of partner hotels and restaurants located near the competition venue, offering discounted rates reserved for registered candidates, will be published on the official website of the competition for the benefit of participants. The booking of accommodation and meals must be carried out directly and independently by the competitors.
All travel, board and lodging expenses to be incurred in order to attend the Agnesi International Music Competition are to be understood as being entirely at the participants’ expense.
The data controller is New Star a.p.s., Via Mosca 30, Milano — direzione@newstarmilano.it.
Candidates’ data are processed for the management of registration, the running of the competition, the awarding of prizes and the related tax obligations, on the basis of the performance of the contract and of legal obligations: the provision of such data is necessary and, without it, participation is not possible. This purpose includes the publication of the lists and of the ranking, and the presentation of the candidates during the competition. The Organisation also retains the materials of the edition in its historical archive, pursuant to art. 89 of EU Regulation 2016/679.
The promotional dissemination of images, voice and audio/video recordings is governed by art. 13 below and requires specific, separate and revocable consent. The candidate may at any time exercise the rights referred to in arts. 15-22 of EU Regulation 2016/679 — including access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, portability and objection — by writing to the Controller at the address indicated above. Such rights are exercised within the limits laid down by the regulations in force: in particular, erasure may not apply to data whose retention is necessary for compliance with legal obligations or for archiving purposes in the public interest pursuant to the aforementioned art. 89. The candidate also has the right to lodge a complaint with the Italian Data Protection Authority.
The extended privacy notice is published on the official website of the competition and forms an integral part hereof.
The performances of the in-person stages of the Agnesi International Music Competition are recorded in audio and video by the Organisation for the purposes of documentation and archiving of the competition.
The dissemination of images, voice and audio/video recordings for promotional, documentary and communication purposes connected with the Agnesi International Music Competition takes place subject to specific consent, given by means of a dedicated free-of-charge release form which the candidate will sign at the time of accreditation for the competition. This release form is also required in order to present the participants to institutions, theatres and artistic agencies of the international circuit.
Consent is free and optional: withholding it does not in any way prejudice participation in the competition, nor does it affect the evaluation of the Jury.
Consent may be revoked at any time by written notice to the Organisation, at the email address or registered office indicated in art. 15. The revocation operates for the future and does not affect materials already lawfully acquired, disseminated and possibly transferred to third parties.
Should consent not be given or be revoked, the Organisation will exclude the candidate from the materials disseminated to the extent that this is technically possible without compromising the integrity of the documentation of the event. Group shots and images in which the candidate appears incidentally and in a non-individualised manner, within the context of events open to the public, remain unaffected.
The Organisation reserves the right, should it prove necessary, to amend or supplement the regulations, promptly communicating the amendments through the official channels of the competition. Registration and participation in the Agnesi International Music Competition entail full acceptance of this version of the regulations and of any future versions thereof. Any documents extending the regulations, such as for example registration forms and release forms, are to be considered part thereof. The updated regulations and registration forms are always available on the official website of the competition: www.agnesioperacompetition.com/regulations.
Further information may be obtained by contacting the Organisation at the email address opera@agnesiinternationalcompetition.it, by visiting the official website www.agnesioperacompetition.com or via WhatsApp by writing to the number +39 392.65.40.292 (messages only).
The Organisation is held harmless from any liability arising from false information, declarations and/or attestations provided by participants. For any dispute relating thereto, the Court of Milan shall have exclusive jurisdiction. The Italian version of the regulations shall prevail.
The Agnesi International Opera Competition is open to opera singers of any nationality, in a single category at a high professional level. The selection process comprises a preliminary online round, followed by a semi-final and final held in person. An international jury of distinguished professionals — opera singers, orchestra conductors and artistic agents — assesses the performances to identify and promote the most promising and authentic voices.
The Agnesi International Opera Competition draws on a high-profile international jury, made up of leading figures from the world of opera and music. Every performer is welcomed with care and respect, in recognition of their personal artistic journey. The competition is an authoritative showcase for operatic talent, offering the opportunity to perform before experts in the field and to leave one’s mark on the world of opera.
The Agnesi International Opera Competition rewards excellence in opera singing. In addition to the prizes for the top three finalists, it awards a series of special recognitions dedicated to particular artistic and interpretative merits. The winners will perform in selected concert settings, with the visibility of a high-profile international competition. For every voice, a stage that can become history.
