(Credit: Sarah Hickson)

The 57th International Opera Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch IVC has announced that Portuguesemezzo-soprano Cláudia Ribas has won first prize.

Ribas won the Grand Prix of the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, consisting of a silver medal and a cash prize of €15,000. Ribas also won the ANED Public Prize, the Wagner Prize, and the Junior Jury Prize.

The second Toonkunst Prize of € 7,500 went to mezzo-soprano Annabel Kennedy from the United Kingdom while the Staetshuys Fund Prize for the third prize went to New Zealand soprano Madison Horman. The prize consists of €3,500. Horman also won the Van Amelsvoort Prize of €2,500 for the best performance of Veroneses Green.

The Young Talent Prize of €3,500 went to bass-baritone Jasurbek Khaydarov from Uzbekistan while the Marianne Blok Prize of €3,500 was awarded to South Korean soprano Elisabeth Eunsoo Lee.

The Friends IVC Prize of €1,500 was awarded to soprano Elisa Maayeshi from the Netherlands. She also won the Press prize of € 1.000 and the Engagement Prize.

The Engagement prize also went to Ukrainian Baritone Oleh Lebedyev.

The competition, which was held on Oct. 5 at Casinozaal of Theater aan de Parade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, was conducted by David Parry.

The finalists were judged by the competition jury of the 57th IVC consisting of Dame Gwyneth Jones, Roberta Alexander, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Rosemary Joshua, Michael Chance, David Parry, Karen Stone, Monique Wagemakers and Damià Carbonell Nicolau.