Emma Marhefka and Vladyslav Buialskyi emerged from the Shanghai final with both first prizes and audience awards. The American soprano also won in zarzuela, while the Ukrainian bass-baritone performed Rossini. The international singing competition concluded with further awards for opera and zarzuela performers after bringing young singers from sixteen countries to China.
American soprano Emma Marhefka and Ukrainian bass-baritone Vladyslav Buialskyi won the leading awards at Operalia, the international singing competition founded by Plácido Domingo. Both also received its audience prize. The final took place on 1 November in Shanghai, China, closing a competition that had begun on 26 October and brought together 34 young singers from sixteen countries.[1], [2]
Marhefka performed Ah, non credea mirarti from Bellini’s opera La sonnambula. Her zarzuela selection, from the Spanish-language musical-theatre repertoire, was Mulata infeliz from Lecuona’s Maria La O; she received the Pepita Embil award in that category. Buialskyi sang Sia qualunque delle figlie from Rossini’s La Cenerentola. The Shanghai Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra accompanied the singers at Shangyin Opera House, with Nayden Todorov conducting.[1]
Second prizes went to American soprano Tessa McQueen and South Korean baritone Junhyeok Felix Park. Ukrainian bass Roman Chabaranok placed third. McQueen also received a Birgit Nilsson prize, alongside British tenor Robert Lewis. Cuban baritone Eleomar Cuello took the Don Plácido Domingo Ferrer zarzuela award, while Spanish soprano Sofía Esparza received the CulturArte prize. Marhefka’s opera and zarzuela results appeared alongside these separate awards in the final list.[1], [2]
