(Image provided by La Monnaie / De Munt)

Leander Carlier has been selected as the winner of season three of “ARIA.”

The baritone took home the top prize during the final on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, performing “Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen” from “Die Tote Stadt,” accompanied by the National Youth Orchestra under Leonard Evers.

Carlier is a Monnaie / De Munt Academy member where he was part of the Raising Voices Festival. He is also set to appear in the MM Academy Soloists and Laureates Concertino on Oct. 25, 2024.

In January 2025, Carlier will be admitted into the National Opera Studio at the Amsterdam Opera.

“This is a magnificent achievement in our 23-year-old compatriot’s career. Since he joined the MM Academy, during his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, Leander stood out for his musicality and natural presence. I find the sound of his voice immediately recognisable and individual. I once described him as a ‘young José Van Dam,'” said Peter de Caluew, the director of La Monnaie / De Munt. “Too much praise? Believe me, this is only the start of this young man’s career. He has a magnificent ‘Kavalierbariton’ voice with a stable, spacious range that will enable him to tackle the great operatic roles in Verdi’s repertoire. But for the moment, priority is given to Mozart and the French repertoire! Let’s be proud of this talent and the role that La Monnaie has already played and will no doubt continue to play in his career.”

“ARIA” is an opera talent show that features a professional jury spending eight Sundays in search of the next major opera talent in the Netherlands. Carlier was selected from a roster of 10 singers this season.