The Fundación Internacional Alfredo Kraus / FIAK and the Cabildo de Gran Canaria as principal sponsor are inviting applications for the singing competition IX Concurso Internacional de Canto Alfredo Kraus / IX CICAK, to be held in the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, from 24 to 30 September 2023.

Aiming to support young opera singers of all nationalities, the FIAK and the Cabildo de Gran Canaria have revived a personal initiative of Alfredo Kraus. In 1990, Gran Canaria’s illustrious tenor brought to life his project for an international singing competition, held as a biennial event in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the city of his birth. Alfredo Kraus went on to organise the first five competitions (1990 to 1999).

After the death of Alfredo Kraus, the first phase of the CICAK came to an end. Eighteen years later, the FIAK launched the second phase of the competition with the VI CICAK 2017, followed by the VII CICAK 2019 and the VIII CICAK 2021, all held at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The three competitions each received applications from more than 100 hopeful singers and were widely covered internationally by the written press, radio, TV and social media.

The jury of the IX CICAK 2023, chaired by an internationally renowned singer and with directors of Spanish and European theatres as its members, will award three official prizes of 14,000, 12,000 and 10,000 euros and three special prizes of  2,500, 2,500 and 1,500 euros.

Applications for the VIII CICAK will open on 19 April 2023.

The First Rounds will be held at venues in Madrid, Milan, Genoa and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, while the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, in the capital city of Gran Canaria, will welcome contestants in the Semi-final and Final Rounds.