Prizewinners' career development
The Queen Sonja International Music Competition’s main goal is to assist the career development of talented young singers. Since the beginning, the aims of the Competition have included creating an international arena for music in Norway, which could showcase young musicians and give them an opportunity to be assessed at an international level. The Competition has indeed acted as a stepping-stone for many of our prizewinners' careers on the opera stage. Many of them have also established successful careers as soloists in recital with orchestras and in other arenas. Read more about our prizewinners’ careers by clicking on the names below. The information is taken from operabase.com.
2019
Sergey Kaydalov (baritone, Russia), First Prize winner
Stefan Astakhov (baritone, Germany), Second Prize winner
Adam Kutny (baritone, Poland), Third Prize winner
Theodore Browne (tenor, Germany), Finalist Prize winner
Natalia Tanasii (soprano, Moldova), Finalist Prize winner
Meigui Zhang (soprano, China), Finalist Prize winner
2017
Seungju Bahg (tenor, South Korea), First Prize winner
Giovanni Sebastiano Sala (tenor, Italy), Second Prize winner
Alexander Roslavets (bass, Belarus), Third Prize winner
Ruslana Koval (soprano, Ukraine), Finalist Prize winner
Pavel Petrov (tenor, Belarus), Finalist Prize winner
2015
Lise Davidsen (soprano, Norway), First Prize winner
Elsa Dreisig (soprano, France), Second Prize winner
Yuriy Yurchuk (baritone, Ukraine), Third Prize winner
Leon Kosavic (baritone, Croatia), Finalist Prize winner
Alexey Lavrov (baritone, Russia), Finalist Prize winner
2013
Kristina Mkhitaryan (soprano, Russia), First Prize winner
Andrew Stenson (tenor, USA), Second Prize winner
Mélissa Petit (soprano, France), Third Prize winner
Hamida M. Kristofferen (soprano, Norway), Finalist Prize winner
Brandon Cedel (bass-baritone, USA), Finalist Prize winner
2011
Dong-Hwan Lee (baritone, South Korea), First Prize winner
Ingeborg Gillebo (mezzo-soprano, Norway), Second Prize winner
Uliana Alexyuk (soprano, Ukraine), Third Prize winner
Kateryna Kasper (soprano, Ukraine), Finalist Prize winner
John Chest (baritone, USA), Finalist Prize winner
2009
Seung-Gi Jung (baritone, South Korea), First Prize winner
Jacquelyn Wagner (soprano, USA), Second Prize winner
Adrian Angelico (mezzo-soprano, Norway), Finalist Prize winner
Katharina Persicke (soprano, Germany), Finalist Prize winner
Nadine Sierra (soprano, USA), Finalist Prize winner
2007
Audun Iversen (baritone, Norway), First Prize winner
Anita Watson (soprano, Australia), Second Prize winner
Nina M. Gravrok (soprano, Norway), Third Prize winner
Mari Eriksmoen (soprano, Norway), Finalist Prize winner
Erika Roos (soprano, Sweden), Finalist Prize winner
2005
Daniel Behle (tenor, Germany), First Prize winner
Peter McGillivray (baritone, Canada), Second Prize winner
In-Sung Sim (bass, Korea), Third Prize winner
2003
Olga Mykytenko (soprano, Ukraine), First Prize winner
Measha Brueggergosman (soprano, Canada), Second Prize winner
Vladimir Baykov (bass, Russia), Third Prize winner
2001
Marita Kvarving Sølberg (soprano, Norway), First Prize winner
Galina Sidorenko (mezzo-soprano, Russia), Second Prize winner
Yorck Felix Speer (bass-baritone, Germany), Third Prize winner
1999
Virginia Tola (soprano, Argentina), First Prize winner
Oana Andra (mezzo-soprano, Romania), Second Prize winner
Ayk Martirossian (bass, Armenia), Third Prize winner
Helene Ranada (mezzo-soprano, Sweden), Finalist Prize winner
1997
Liao Changyong (baritone, China), First Prize winner
Valentina Kutzarova (mezzo-soprano, Bulgaria), Second Prize winner
Ofelia Sala (soprano, Spain), Third Prize winner
1995
Akie Amou (soprano, Japan), First Prize winner
Tigran Martirossian (bass, Armenia), Second Prize winner
Deng-Feng Zhao (tenor, China), Third Prize winner
Annette Seiltgen (mezzo-soprano, Germany), Finalist Prize winner
Melanie Diener (soprano, Germany), Finalist Prize winner
1992 (piano)
Simone Pedroni (Italia), Førsteprisvinner
Folke Nauta (Nederland), Andreprisvinner
Sigurd Slåttebrekk (Norge), Tredjeprisvinner
Victor Lyadov (Russland), Finalistprisvinner
Francesco Libetta (Italia), Finalistprisvinner
1988 (piano)
Nigel Hill (Storbritannia), Førsteprisvinner
Jeffrey Biegel (USA), Andreprisvinner
Sergey Schepkin (Russland), Tredjeprisvinner
Eckhart Heiligers (Tyskland), Finalistprisvinner