▪ An internationally renowned jury, chaired by Italian soprano Mariella Devia, will award three prizes at an opera performance on Saturday 28 in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium

Nine singers of six nationalities have gone on to the final of the VII Concurso Internacional de Canto Alfredo Kraus, which will be held on Saturday 28 September at 8.00 pm in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Organised by the Fundación Internacional Alfredo Kraus (FIAK) and the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the VII CICAK aims to discover new opera talents.

During a gala show designed by FIAK artistic director Mario Pontiggia, including a performance by the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Óliver Díaz, the nine finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents to the audience.

The singers who have reached the final, from the 65 candidates who took part in auditions at the semi-final held on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, are: sopranos Patricia Calvache Rodríguez (Spain) and María Caballero (Mexico), mezzo-soprano Rosanna Cooper (United Kingdom), countertenor Rodrigo Sosa dal Pozzo (Venezuela/Italy), tenors Gabriel Álvarez (Spain), Vicent Romero (Spain) and Héctor Rodríguez Vera (Cuba), baritone César Méndez Silvagnoli (USA/Puerto Rico) and bass-baritone Manuel Fuentes Figueira (Spain).

The jury of the VII CICAK, comprising soprano Mariella Devia as Chair, theatre directors Daniel Bianco (La Zarzuela Madrid), Pierangelo Conte (MMF, Florence), Lorenzo Amato (San Carlo, Naples), and Manuel Rondal (Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège), with Cesidio Niño (ABAO, Bilbao) and Ulises Jaén (ACO, Las Palms de Gran Canaria) and honorary members Guillermo García-Alcalde and Jerónimo Saavedra Acevedo, assessed the vocal qualities and technique of the singers selected after performing their chosen opera and Zarzuela pieces. Participants were accompanied by the official pianists of the VII CICAK, Ricardo Francia and Juan Francisco Parra.

The singers who have reached the final will compete for three official prizes of 14,000, 12,000 and 10,000 euros, which they will receive with a diploma and medals designed by the tenor’s granddaughter, Gara Martín Kraus. Finalists are also eligible for two special prizes: 3,000 euros from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall for the best singer of Spanish nationality, and the audience prize of 2,500 euros for the singer who receives most votes from the audience during the final. In addition, their participation will be rewarded with invitations to perform in European theatres.

Tickets for the final, to be held in the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, are on sale at auditorioteatrolaspalmasgc.es and auditorio-alfredokraus.com, and at ticket offices at the Auditorium and Teatro Pérez Galdós. This year the singing competition is taking place at a special time, coinciding with events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the death of Gran Canaria’s famous tenor.