I Eva Marton International Singing Competition announced

"Liszt Academy's first international competition is associated with the name of Éva Marton, the very same Éva Marton who for the last forty years has enjoyed an exceptional career; a singer who has shone in the greatest roles of Puccini, Wagner, Richard Strauss, Verdi and other composers. This competition receives special attention and support and it will also be a very exciting artistic event in the spirit of Ferenc Liszt's much quoted maxim – ‘Genie oblige!'" (competition patron and government commissioner András Batta)

„When I was a Liszt Academy student, I swore that if I ever had my own students, I would teach them from the very first minute independence and self-confidence. A teacher usually wants to fashion from the student a lesser artist than they are. This is a mistake! We must give them wings so they can cope in life as swiftly as possible." (Éva Marton)

ÉVA MARTON

Éva Marton is one of the world's leading sopranos. She has appeared at the most prestigious opera stages, for instance, Milan's La Scala, the New York MET, the Vienna Staatsoper and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Her uniquely broad repertoire is dominated by Verdi, Puccini, Richard Strauss and Wagner roles. Her career has been acknowledged with the highest honours and prizes both in Hungary and abroad. She is an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera House (Kammersängerin) and principal advisor to the Hungarian State Opera. Between 2005-2013 she directed the Department of Singing of the Liszt Academy, and she continues to teach here as professor emerita.

CANDIDATES

The contest is open to singers from all nationalities aged mininmum 18 years on the opening day of the competition and born on or after

15 September 1982 for female candidates

15 September 1979 for male candidates.

ROUNDS

The competition is divided into a qualifying round based on the requested video materials uploaded to the competition's website (DVDs are not preferred, but accepted) and three live competition rounds held at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest. The Final taking place at the Liszt Academy will be broadcast live on television.The Gala performance will take place at and be broadcast from the Hungarian State Opera.  The entire live competition is open to public. Application fee is € 150 (to be payed only by the qualified candidates).

PRIZES

Grand Prix €15 000; 1st prize €12 000; 2nd prize €9 000; 3rd prize €6 000

APPLICATION

Application deadline to the Qualifying round:

15 March 2014 (date of postal stamp) in case of mailing the application material to the Competition Secretariat

31 March 2014 in case of uploading the application material at www.martoncompetition.hu

Information on the qualification to the live competition will be given by 15 May 2014.