The Accademia Verdiana has obtained a record number of submissions for its 2024 program.

The academic program announced that 130 opera singers submitted applications from 14 different countries including Italy, Armenia, China, South Korea, Georgia, Japan, Greece, Kazakistan, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, and Ukraine.

The final selection will be made during the final phase at the Teatro Regio di Parma between Feb. 21 and 23, 2024. The aspiring students will be heard by a jury that includes Francesco Izzo, Alessio Vlad, Artistic Director of the Teatro Regio di Parma, Giannina Seccia from the Teatro Regio di Parma, and teachers Silvia Dalla Benetta, Vincenzo De Vivo, Damiana Pinti, and Annalisa Stroppa.

In a statement, Izzo said, “I am honored and happy to direct the Accademia Verdiana for the second year and to chair the commission that will select the twelve students of the 2024 edition.”