The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music has announced the winners of the 2025 Lenya Competition, held on 3 May at Kilbourn Hall in Rochester, New York. British performer George Robarts was awarded the First Prize of $25,000, followed by Tamara Bounazou from France, who took the $20,000 Second Prize, and Eleonora Hu from the Netherlands, who received $15,000 for Third Prize.
Celebrated for his interpretation of Kurt Weill’s Muschel von Margate, Robarts impressed the jury with what they described as a “phenomenal” performance, marked by “impeccable delivery of lyrics” and “spontaneous” dramatic nuance. His rendition earned a rare near-perfect score from the panel.
The Lenya Competition, now in its 27th edition, is a unique international contest for singing actors who demonstrate equal mastery of vocal performance and theatrical expression. Founded in 1998 by Kim Kowalke, President and CEO of the Kurt Weill Foundation, the competition emphasizes versatility across the musical theatre spectrum, including opera, operetta, and Broadway.
This year’s final round featured eleven artists from seven countries and four continents, selected from over 260 applicants. Each finalist presented a 15-minute program of four contrasting numbers, including a work by Kurt Weill, before a jury composed of Broadway music director Rob Berman, soprano and stage director Catherine Malfitano, and opera and theatre director Alison Moritz.
Additional discretionary awards of $6,000 were given to Queen Hezumuryango (Burundi) and Gemma Nha (Australia) for outstanding performances of individual selections. Rebecca Madeira received the inaugural Audience Choice Award and a $3,000 prize for her rendition of “When He Sees Me” from Waitress. All other finalists were awarded $3,000.
Based in New York, the Kurt Weill Foundation promotes the legacy of composer Kurt Weill and his wife, singer Lotte Lenya, supporting performance, scholarship, and education initiatives worldwide.
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