The International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition has announced the winners of its 2021 winners.

Canadian tenor Joshua Lovell took home the top prize. He also took home the media prize.

Coming in second place were American soprano Elena Villalón and British soprano Verity Wingate. Villalón was also given the Audience prize, the CS Rising Stars award, the Wil Keune Prize, and awarded an engagement from the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Seattle Opera. Wingate also took home an Awarded Engagement from the Konzert Theater Bern.

Finally, Korean tenor Kangyoon Lee was the recipient of the third prize. He was also the recipient of the Awarded Engagement from the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

The Sächsische Staatsoper-Semperoper offered an Awarded Engagement to bass-baritone Ilya Silchuk.

“The fact that despite the difficult conditions so many young artists traveled to the final rounds in Germany is a testament to the significance of the International Belvedere Singing Competition. However, it also shows the global importance of opera and that many young people are striving for an international opera career” stated Isabella Gabor and Holger Bleck, the general managers of the Competition, on the official website. “We would like to thank Guy Montavon, general director of the Erfurt Theatre, for organizing the finale week on relatively short notice and for making sure that everything went well.” The festival managers are very sorry that many young talents, who had qualified for the finale, could not make the journey to Erfurt due to travel restrictions. This year, the Competition was missing all participants from South Africa. Many singers from Russia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom had to cancel as well. The Belvedere Singing Competition is not only popular for its prizes, but young singers also appreciate the opportunity to perform in front of a jury of international opera and casting directors and the possibility to maybe be discovered.”