Opera Mundus APS ETS has announced the first edition of the International Opera Singing Competition Opera Mundus – Vox Futuri, scheduled for Feb. 20–21, 2026, in Padua, Italy.

The competition will take place at the Teatro Polivalente San Carlo Borromeo and conclude with a public final round at the historic Sala dei Giganti.

Founded by opera singer and Artistic Director Askar Lashkin, Opera Mundus APS ETS is a cultural association based in Padua. The Vox Futuri competition is designed to provide young singers with career-oriented opportunities, offering cash prizes, scholarships, masterclasses, concert engagements, role opportunities, and professional collaborations through a network of 22 Italian and European partner organizations, including theaters, academies, festivals, associations, and international competitions.

“Vox Futuri was born from my personal journey as an opera singer,” said Lashkin, per an official press release. “We chose to keep registration fees accessible while investing in a concrete network of prizes, scholarships, and collaborations, creating a competition conceived by a singer for singers.”

Prizes include a total cash award of €5,000, international scholarships, free or discounted masterclasses, concert engagements, prize roles, and additional special awards offered by European partners.

The international jury for this first edition includes Edoardo Bottacin, Artistic Director of Teatro Sociale di Rovigo; opera director Giulio Ciabatti; journalist and music critic Elena Filini; Cristina Ferrari, Artistic Director of Teatro Municipale di Piacenza and Director of Fondazione Teatri di Piacenza; Chiara Giordano, Artistic Director of Teatro Rendano di Cosenza; soprano and voice teacher Elisabetta Tandura; artist manager Federico Tondelli of Prima Fila Artists; and Alessandro Trebeschi, Artistic Secretary of Teatro Grande di Brescia and Casting Manager of the Festival della Valle d’Itria.

The initiative is presented under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture and the European Parliament and is supported by Fondazione Ferrari e Salimbeni, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo (CARIPARO), and Nuovo IMAIE.

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