The 2025 Paris Opera Competition announced its winners, with Steffan Lloyd Owen receiving the First Prize, Elene Gvritishvili the Second Prize, and Théo Imart taking both the Third Prize and the Audience Prize. The final round took place in Paris, with the three singers selected from an international group of young artists.
The winners
Welsh baritone Steffan Lloyd Owen, a member of the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera, adds this award to a season that already included the First Prize at the 2025 Josep Palet Competition. His recent work in Zurich features roles such as Marullo in Rigoletto, Silvano in Un ballo in maschera and the title role in Gianni Schicchi.
Russian soprano Elene Gvritishvili received the Second Prize, while French countertenor Théo Imart earned both the Third Prize and the Audience Prize, reinforcing his growing visibility within the French early-career scene.
The jury
The 2025 jury brought together representatives from several major opera institutions. It was chaired by Julien Benhamou (Aix-en-Provence Festival and the Metropolitan Opera). Other members included Jochen Breiholtz (Opéra de Lyon), Khori Dastoor (Houston Grand Opera), Sophie Joyce (Opéra de Paris), Peter Katona (Royal Opera House), Isla Mundell-Perkins (Opera Australia, Dresden Festspielhaus and NorthOpera), Mathieu Pordoy (Opéra Comique, Opéra du Rhin, Opéra de Dijon), Christian Thompson (Orchestre de Paris) and Evamaria Wieser (Salzburg Festival and Lyric Opera of Chicago).
A competition with an established track record
Founded in 2010 by Pierre Vernes with the involvement of Isabelle de Montaigu, the Paris Opera Competition has taken place regularly since 2012, with the 2021 edition postponed due to the pandemic. Over the years, it has included finalists who later developed international careers, among them Julie Fuchs, Valentina Nafornița, Ambroisine Bré, Venera Gimadieva, Julia Lezhneva, Ilya Kutyukhin and Bogdan Volkov.
The format consists of a week of preparation in Paris followed by a staged final with orchestra. While the competition positions itself as a platform for young singers, its relevance is largely shaped by the presence of jury members connected to major European and international organisations.
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