The 2023 Ningo International Vocal Competition, last of more than 50 major competitions this year, finished December 11 with a spectacular Gala Concert at the sold-out Ningbo Grand Theatre. First prize winners Cai Jingwen and Hong Zhenxiang easily convinced with their well-rounded and beautiful voices in arias from Samson and Dalila, Macbeth, and others. No less impressive were Yulia Suleimanova with an exciting "Sempre Libera" from La Traviata, and Johanna Will with "Dich, teure Halle" from Tannhäuser. The great variety of contrasting works made for a splendid performance and showed the potential of this young and ambitious competition. Ningbo Symphony Orchestra, founded in 2015 and co-organizer of the competition together with the China Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, equally convinced with its enthusiastic performance.
First Prize (Male Category): Hong Zhenxiang, Bariton, winner of competitions in Russia and China, holds a Master of Music from the Vocal Department of the Xinghai Conservatory of Music.
Female Group
First Prize: Jingwen Cai
Second Prize: Yulia Suleimanova
Third Prize: Johanna Will
Male Group
First Prize: Hong Zhenxiang
Second Prize: Byeongmin Gil
Third Prize: Lv Xun
Jury: Yuan Chenye (Chair), Song Bo, Xie Tian, Marc Mazy, Jochen Schönleber, Sheryl Milnes, Maurizio Ciampi, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Daniel Serafin
Artists: Ningbo Symphony Orchestra/ Zhu Man, Conductor
First Prize (Female Category): Jingwen Cai, graduate of the Xinghai Conservatory of Music, is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes in China. She plans to move to Europe in early 2024 to pursue an opera career.
The next Ningbo International Vocal Competition will take place in 2026.
©WFIMC 2024
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