Special prizes of the 7th Éva Marton International Singing Competition presented

As revealed the evening before, on Saturday, Russian soprano Valentina Pravdina won the 30,000 euros first prize as well as the 5,000 euros special prize for the best performer of a Liszt song and the audience award, Korean bass Seokjun Kim finished second, winning 20,000 euros, while the third prize of 10,000 euros went to Armenian soprano Arpi Sinanyan. Éva Marton awarded her personal special prize of 10,000 euros to Georgian soprano Tata Razmadze.

The other prestigious special awards were announced at Sunday’s gala, where, as in the final, the twelve singers were accompanied by the orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera under the baton of Kálmán Szennai.

Latvian singer Daniils Pogoriless received the 1,000 euros Bravo Baritone Award presented by the Classic Mecenat Foundation of Mongolia as well as the media package offered by Fidelio magazine and cultural website. Kim Eric Jongyoung of South Korea, who was in competition until the semi-finals, won a two-week masterclass in Milan from jury member Anatoli Goussev, while Hungarian soprano Laura Topolánszky, who also left the competition in that round, received a media package from Papageno magazine and cultural website. A performance opportunity was offered by the Hungarian Opera of Cluj to first-prize winner Valentina Pravdina; by the Hungarian Radio Art Groups to third-prize winner Arpi Sinanyan; by the Hungarian State Opera to finalist Kim Jaeyul Edward; and by Müpa Budapest to second-prize winner Kim Seokjun as well as to Éva Marton Special Prize winner Tata Razmadze, the latter also winning an invitation from the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra. In addition, the Margaret Island Open-Air Theatre offered to organize a gala concert in the summer of 2027 for the finalists of all the Marton Competitions.

Photo: Liszt Academy / László Mudra

At the event, Dr Gábor Farkas, Rector of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and one of the patrons of the competition, emphasized that the event was much more than simply another international singing competition. “Éva Marton’s legendary artistry is a source of inspiration and a benchmark for us all. Not only because she conquered the world’s greatest opera stages, but also because the extraordinary passion and humility with which she has always approached music still shine through in every word she speaks and every look she gives. Dear Éva, thank you for passing on this energy, experience and knowledge to a new generation of artists.” Dr Farkas stressed that the Liszt Academy is proud to organize an event of such international stature, giving the future stars of opera an opportunity to demonstrate their talent on a world-class stage. He expressed his appreciation to the international jury for their expertise and commitment giving the competition the world-class standing it deserves. He also acknowledged the enormous amount of preparation and work, praising Liszt Academy’s team for its outstanding contribution. Addressing the contestants, he said he had seen their excitement backstage and witnessed the hard work, and as a pianist, he knows well how much sacrifice, practice and perseverance stand behind every polished stage performance. He wished all the finalists that, beyond the results of the competition, the gala evening would become an unforgettable milestone — and the beginning of a brilliant international career.

Dr András Batta, former Rector of the Liszt Academy and the competition’s other patron, also addressed the audience. Reflecting on the final, he said the exceptionally high artistic standard had been such that he felt as though he were witnessing a concert rather than a competition. He noted how reassuring it was to see a new generation of young artists bringing the great operatic repertoire to life and ensuring its future. He also recalled the origins of the Marton Competition, founded in 2013, when he was serving as Rector of the Academy and was involved in its establishment. From the outset, he explained, the competition was conceived in accordance with Éva Marton’s vision as more than simply a platform for young singers to present themselves, but also to serve as a sort of masterclass, offering participants the opportunity to learn. Over the years, the members of the jury have opened doors for hundreds of young artists, he noted, expressing his confidence in the competition’s continued success and future.

In her own address, Éva Marton highlighted the responsibility of the artistic community to nurture and protect young talent, helping promising singers find their place on the world’s opera stages and supporting them in building fulfilling careers and lives. “We must take care of talent, help them to find their place on the world’s opera stages and lead happy lives — so that we, as an audience, can be even happier.” She expressed her gratitude to everyone who had contributed to the competition’s creation and continued success. “I am deeply moved to be standing here today. I would like to thank the jury, and Szilveszter Ókovács, General Director of the Hungarian State Opera, for making it possible for us to be here tonight. I am also grateful to my former and current Rectors: to Dr András Batta, who played a role in bringing this competition into life, and to Dr Gábor Farkas, who understood that what we have started must be continued.” She also spoke of her long-standing artistic relationship with the legendary tenor Plácido Domingo, with whom she has shared the stage in numerous productions. When she invited him to become the competition’s principal patron, he accepted immediately. She expressed her regret that he had been unable to attend the event in person. “There is no performing art without an audience. We need you. We are organizing this competition so that the whole world can see that we are here, that we are creating, and that we have extraordinary talent”, said tot he audience. She added that Liszt Academy is among the world’s leading institutions of musical education, while the Opera where the gala was held is one of the most beautiful ones in the world.” In closing, Éva Marton thanked the entire team behind the competition for their dedication, emphasizing that an event of this significance can only be achieved through collaboration and a strong sense of community.

The live rounds of Liszt Academy’s 7th Éva Marton International Singing Competition started on Monday with 80 contestants. The event is supported by the Hungarian state as well as by the Hungarian Academy of Arts, and offers prizes totaling more than 75,000 euros. The prestigious international jury of the competition is chaired by Professor Emerita KS. Éva Marton and includes some of the most celebrated representatives of the Hungarian and international world of opera. The members are Miguel Lerín, one of the most influential art managers from Spain; Peter Mario Katona, casting director of the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) in London; Anatoli Goussev, a Ukrainian-born tenor and singer living and working in Italy; Italian tenor Vittorio Terranova; Turkish-German mezzo-soprano Deniz Uzun, recipient of Éva Marton’s Special Prize at the 4th competition in 2021; Dmitry Vdovin, director of the youth opera programme at the Bolshoi Theater; as well as mezzo-soprano Andrea Meláth, head of the Singing Department of the Liszt Academy and Szilveszter Ókovács, General Director of the Hungarian State Opera.

Since 2014, the Liszt Academy has organized the Éva Marton International Singing Competition every two years, although the fourth edition, originally planned for 2020, was postponed to 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. Since 2019, the competition has also been a member of the prestigious World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC).