The 9th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition concluded with the final gala and award ceremony at the Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, 28 September 2018.
Presented by Halit Ergenç, the final gala of the 9th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition took off with Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell Overture on the 150th commemoration of the Italian composer, under the baton of the Italian conductor Pietro Mianiti. Among the 42 competitors from 15 different countries who have participated in the final series, 9 competitors made to the finals: So Young Park (soprano/South Korea), Sara Rossini (soprano/Poland), Chiara Tirotta (mezzosoprano/Italy), Selin Uzun (soprano/Turkey), Piotr Buszewski (tenor/South Korea), Anna-Doris Capitelli (mezzosoprano/Germany-Italy), Ezgi Karakaya (mezzosoprano/Turkey), Faik Mansuroğlu (baritone/Turkey), and Doğukan Özkan (bass-baritone/Turkey). During the final gala, all 9 finalists performed their arias before the jury and the audience in the company of Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra.
The great Italian operatic baritone Renato Bruson announced the winners as the head of the jury at the end of the night. Ezgi Karakaya (mezzosoprano / Turkey) won the first prize, Anna Doris Capitelli (mezzosoprano / Germany) came second and Piotr Buszewski (tenor / Poland) won the third prize. 23.500 Euro monetary award in total (12.500 Euro for the first, 7.500 Euro for the second and 3.500 Euro for the third prize) was presented to the winners of the 9th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition.
Faik Mansuroğlu (baritone / Turkey) won the Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artists Programme Special Award that entails a four-month training programme in London. Doğukan Özkan (bass-baritone / Turkey) won the newly introduced Deutsche Oper Berlin Special Award that allows the winner to take part in one of the opera’s productions. Ezgi Karakaya (mezzosoprano / Turkey), winner of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra Special Award will get the chance to perform in the company of Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, while the winner of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala Special Award, Piotr Buszewski (tenor / Poland) will receive a three-month scholarship at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala. In addition to the jury awards, Ezgi Karakaya (mezzosoprano / Turkey) was presented with the Leyla Gencer Audience Award, determined by audience votes.
