NAPLES, FL (September 4, 2025) – Opera Naples announces a call for applicants for the second Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition. The competition will occur over three days with the first two rounds at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL on March 13 and 14 and the final round in Baker Park in Naples, FL on March 15. The March 14 semifinal round and March 15 final round will be presented in front of a live audience.
The competition fosters the career development of promising young opera singers worldwide by providing a platform to be heard by a panel of industry professionals and compete for artistic contracts that will significantly further their careers. This competition is a revival of the renowned Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, which was founded in 1981 and, at its height, had 1,500 applicants from over 25 countries.
Each winner will receive a minimum of $10,000 in contracts to perform roles and/or concerts with Opera Naples as well as other opera houses and presenters within the next two seasons of the award. In order to be a recipient of the prize, the winners should be available from February 15 to March 15, 2027, in order to rehearse and perform in the Opera Naples 2027 Festival Under the Stars.
Competition Dates and Locations:
March 13 & 14: U. Tobe Recital Hall, Bower School of Music & the Arts, Florida Gulf Coast University 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965
March 15: Baker Park
50 Riverside Circle, Naples FL 34102
Details:
Selected singers will participate in three rounds of live performances for a jury taking place over the course of a three-day period between March 13-15. Each competitor is required to prepare a minimum of six arias in the language(s) of their choice; varying languages and styles are recommended. The jury might choose an aria from the presented list for any round. A pianist will be provided. Competitors are responsible for their own travel, housing and local transportation. All competitors must sign a media release. International competitors must also supply their own visas; Opera Naples can assist in providing letters of invitation and other needed documents for visa applications.
- 1st Round: Singers will present at least two aria selections not to exceed 10 minutes.
Note: this round will be closed to the public and take place in an indoor recital hall.
- Semi-final: Singers will present at least two aria selections (different from the first round) not to exceed 10 minutes.
Note: this round will be open to the public and take place in an indoor recital hall.
- Final: Singers will present aria selections (selected by the jury from previous rounds) not to exceed 10 minutes.
Note: this round will be open to the public and take place in an open-air stage setting with amplification.
How to Apply: All materials must be submitted through the online YAP tracker application: https://www.yaptracker.com/applications/opera-naples-pavarotti-foundation-2026/
Deadline: October 15 (Notification of acceptance will be no later than November 15)
Preliminary Application Requirements:
- Two video recording of operatic arias, made within the past year, which cannot be edited for sound or video enhancement. Videos may have live or pre-recorded piano or orchestral accompaniment.
- Photocopy of valid ID
- Professional biography and/or resume in English (word or PDF format, one page maximum)
- Headshot (high resolution)
- $25 application fee
Jury Members: The jury is presided over by Nicoletta Pavarotti and Ramón Tebar. Additional jury members include international singers, opera directors, casting directors, artistic directors and consultants of renowned opera houses. The jury will be announced in November 2025.
Opera Naples is grateful to Cindy Stegemann for her support of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition.
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Opera Naples is an artistic powerhouse, dedicated to presenting high-quality opera productions and concerts featuring prominent international, national and regional performers and directors. Opera Naples has presented well-known grand operas such as La bohème, Carmen, Faust, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, Tosca and more. An advocate of community service and education outreach, Opera Naples introduces opera to thousands of children each year through various programs, including in-school programs and performances in Collier and Lee counties, the Resident Artists Program and Summer Youth Program. The company is also committed to nurturing promising young talent through the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples Academy led by a faculty of prominent opera luminaries who offer an immersive program of vocal instruction, lectures and masterclasses. In collaboration with the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, Opera Naples also hosts an International Voice Competition, in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University. The company has earned local, regional and state government support. For more information, visit OperaNaples.org.
Opera Naples, Inc. • 2408 Linwood Avenue • Naples, FL 34112 • 239.844.SING • OperaNaples.org