San Francisco Opera has announced that Italian countertenor Carlo Vistoli has won the 2023–24 Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Emerging Stars Competition for his American stage and role debut in Händel’s “Partenope.”

Vistoli was named 2024 Emerging Star of the Year based on a popular vote conducted online at sfopera.com from July 11 to August 2, 2024. As the competition winner, Vistoli will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

For his performance in the production OperaWire raved stating, “Dark colors and liquid velvet, his was arguably the most beautiful voice in the entire performance.”

In a statement, Vistoli said, “I am truly excited and honored to receive this recognition and prize sponsored by Maria Manetti Shrem and Jan Shrem, which comes as the culmination of the wonderful experience at San Francisco Opera with one of the productions I loved the most, Handel’s Partenope, also because it was shared with wonderful colleagues, whom I want to remember and thank, along with the fantastic theater staff. Handel is probably my favorite composer, and in the part of Arsace I put all my heart, inspired by a brilliant director as Christopher Alden and an insightful conductor as Christopher Moulds. I had the time of my life at San Francisco Opera—I couldn’t have asked for a better American stage debut. Thanks to all who believed in me and voted for me, and also to the San Francisco audience—one of the warmest and most welcoming I’ve ever experienced, for whom I hope to perform again soon in the future.”

Vistoli was one of 12 artists appearing in San Francisco Opera’s 2023–24 Season with support from Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem’s Emerging Stars Fund who were nominated for the competition. The other nominees were sopranos Julie Adams (“Lohengrin”), Julie Fuchs (“Partenope”), Christina Gansch (“The Magic Flute”), Judit Kutasi (“Lohengrin”), Brittany Renee (“Omar”) and Slávka Zámečníková (“The Elixir of Love”); mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven (“Omar”); tenors Jamez McCorkle (“Omar”), Amitai Pati (“The Magic Flute”) and Pene Pati (“The Elixir of Love”) and baritone Thomas Lehman (“Lohengrin”).

This season Vistoli performs at the Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and  Royal Oepra House, among others.