Well-known to WFIMC members since the 2023 General Assembly in Hamamatsu, the city was recently host to the “other” international competition of the area: the Mt. Fuji international Competition of Shizuoka. Commencing in 1996, the 50th year after the death of soprano Tamaki Miura, Shizuoka Prefectural Government has held the Mt. Fuji International Opera Competition of Shizuoka once every three years to commemorate the world-famous prima donna, known for her ties to Shizuoka Prefecture.
The 9th competition was originally scheduled in 2020, however, it was postponed to 2023 due to the global pandemic of COVID-19. Out of 271 applicants, 51 people from all over the world took part in the competition. It was especially popular for singers from neighboring South Korea, who ended up taking the top prizes in this edition.
The next Mt. Fuji international Opera Competition will take place in 2026.
Prizes:
1st Prize: Samueol Park (31), Berlin, Baritone
2nd Prize: Jihoon Park (32), Seoul, Tenor
3rd Prize: Jungrae Noah Kim (29), Zürich, Baritone
Jury:
Toshimitsu Kimura (Chair), Sang-Ho Choi, Jocelyne Dienst-Bladin, David Gowland, Rie Hamada, Naoko Ihara, Yasuhiro Miura, Lenore Rosenberg, Cheryl Studer
Artists:
Tokyo Symphony Orchestra/ Naoshi Takahashi(Conductor)
Prize winners 2023
Samueol Park, 1st prize
Jihoon Park, 2nd prize
Jungrae Noah Kim, 3rd prize
Prize winners and Jury
©️ WFIMC 2023
The 2023 Seoul International Music Competition ends on a high note with outstanding singers
