Queen Elisabeth Competition Names First-Round Vocal Candidates for 2023

The 2023 edition chose 68 singers to compete in the first round of the competition

Belgium's Queen Elisabeth Competition runs on a four-year cycle that alternates between violin, piano, cello, and voice.

The 2023 Vocal candidates are as follows:

• Iida Antola, Soprano
• Alexandra Lowe, Soprano
• Tamara Bounazou, Soprano
• Juliette Mey, Mezzo-Soprano
• Fleuranne Brockway, Mezzo-Soprano
• Eddie Mofokeng, Baritone
• Linsey Coppens, Mezzo-Soprano
• Katleho Mokhoabane, Tenor
• Margaux de Valensart, Soprano
• Dean Murphy, Baritone
• Valerie Eickhoff, Mezzo-Soprano
• Julia Muzychenko-Greenhalgh, Soprano
• Yukari Fukui, Soprano
• Anna-Sophie Neher, Soprano
• Vartan Gabrielian, Bass
• Johanna Nylund, Soprano
• Clémence Garcia, Soprano
• Mathilde Ortscheidt, Mezzo-Soprano
• Daniel Gwon, Baritone
• Maria Ostroukhova, Mezzo-Soprano
• Hyunju Ha, Soprano
• Joseph Parrish, Baritone
• Shan Hai, Soprano
• Shira Patchornik, Soprano
• Floriane Hasler, Mezzo-Soprano
• Kelly Poukens, Soprano
• Maria Hegele, Mezzo-Soprano
• Marcela Rahal, Mezzo-Soprano
• Junho Hwang, Tenor
• Lu Ren, Mezzo-Soprano
• Daegyun Jeong, Baritone
• Hyunwoo Roh, Baritone
• Inho Jeong, Bass
• Carole-Anne Roussel, Soprano
• Kadi Jürgens, Mezzo-Soprano
• Giulia Scopelliti, Soprano
• Lubov Karetnikova, Soprano
• Sílvia Sequeira, Soprano
• Sawako Kayaki, Soprano
• Jaeeun Shin, Soprano
• Yvette Keong, Soprano
• Jose Simerilla Romero, Tenor
• Hyuneum Kim, Soprano
• William Socolof, Baritone
• Sungho Kim, Tenor
• Jihoon Son, Tenor
• Taehan Kim, Baritone
• Anne Elizabeth Sorbara, Soprano
• Victoria Seungri Kim, Soprano
• Juliette Tacchino, Soprano
• Yeonjae Chloé Kim, Mezzo-Soprano
• Sophia Theodorides, Soprano
• Junoh Lee, Bass
• Magdalena Urbanowicz, Mezzo-Soprano
• Kangyoon Lee, Tenor
• Lotte Verstaen, Mezzo-Soprano
• Kyungeun Lee, Soprano
• Maria Warenberg, Mezzo-Soprano
• Seonwoo Lee, Soprano
• Jasmin White, Contralto
• Robert Lewis, Tenor
• Alexander York, Baritone
• Marie Lombard, Soprano
• Hanseong Yun, Bass

Although four singers have already had to withdraw, of the remaining 64 candidates, 44 are women and 20 are men. Sopranos are the best-represented voice part with 28 candidates.

The first round will take place on May 21 and 22, 2023, when each singer will present two pieces with piano accompaniment. The works may be arias from operas or oratorios, Lieder, or art songs — as long as the two works are contrasting.

First Prize carries a value of €25,000, while the Second and Third prizes consist of €20,000 and €17,000 respectively. The jury will be chaired by Bernard Foccroulle.