Jury Rules 2022
55th International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch (IVC)
Category Opera | Oratorio
a. Each jury member assigns every participant – during or immediately after his or her performance and without consulting any third party - one vote. This vote represents the jury member’s opinion as a whole. The vote will be communicated to the chair of the jury.
b. Criteria
· musicianship;
· diction/language
· technique and style
· quality of voice
· potential for development
· choice of repertoire
c. Candidates must choose their programme in accordance with the category that they have entered and in fulfilment of all other requirements concerning language and stylistic periods.
e. A maximum of 16participants will be allowed to continue to the Semi-Final.
f. The results will be classified as follows:
18 - 21 points admission to the Semi-final
14 - 17 points discussion
g. Ranking. In case that there are more than 16 candidates admitted to the Semi Final based on article 5f, each member of the jury makes his or her own ranking for those candidates. This might also be the case if there are less than 16 candidates admitted.
h. All discussions will be led by the chair of the jury, based on the ranking of the candidates.
i. The system of qualifying for the Opera or Oratorio Prize is as follows:
· More than 5 opera arias in the submitted repertoire mean that a candidate only qualifies for the Opera Prize.
· More than 5 oratorio arias mean that the candidate qualifies exclusively for the Oratorio Prize.
· If candidates present a repertoire of 5 opera and 4 oratorio arias they can qualify for both categories.
· In order to win either of the Prizes a candidate must have sung at least 4 arias of the repertoire in each category (so at least 4 opera arias to qualify for the Opera Prize and at least 5 oratorio arias to qualify for the Oratorio Prize). The jury decides after the Semi-final what Prize the candidates will compete for on the 2nd of July.
· Preferably there are two Oratorio Prize candidates represented in the final concert. But that is not mandatory.
· Within the total repertoire list of 10 works candidates may feature a maximum of 1 operetta aria or zarzuela, or 1 concert aria, or 2 orchestral songs. Performance of these pieces count towards the Opera Prize. Performance of orchestral songs may also count towards the Oratorio Prize.
j. Candidates who sang a Wagner aria in the preliminaries AND have submitted a Wagner aria for the first round and the semi-final are eligible for the Wagner Prize. Other candidates may offer a single Wagner aria in either round without qualifying for this prize. The Wagner Genootschap of the Netherlands will be present at the rounds and will make their opinion known to the jury but it is up to the jury to decide. There will be at least two possible contenders selected for the semi-final. The jury can decide to already award the Wagner Prize by elimination after the semi-final. The winner is then automatically a finalist. It is however no problem to select two Wagner singers in the final and only decide afterwards. It is possible to nominate a Wagner Prize candidate for the final but not for the Wagner Prize. In that case the candidate cannot be asked to sing a Wagner aria in the final concert.
k. The Marianne Blok coloratura prize will be awarded to a coloratura soprano who has an outstanding technique but at the same time knows how to use this technique to express the emotions in the music, as Marianne Blok herself did. Members of the foundation will make their opinion known to the jury but the jury is free to decide. The prize can be decided in any round and be awarded to a soprano who does not make it to the next round but who still stands out as far as dramatic capability concerns.
a. Each jury member assigns every participant – during or immediately after his or her performance and without consulting any third party - one vote. This vote represents the jury member’s opinion as a whole. The vote will be communicated to the chair of the jury.
b. Criteria
· musicianship;
· diction/language
· technique and style
· quality of voice
· potential for development
· choice of repertoire
c. Candidates must choose their program in accordance with the category that they have entered and in fulfilment of all other requirements concerning language and stylistic periods.
f. The results will be classified as follows:
18 - 21 points admission to the final
14 - 17 points discussion
0 – 13 points elimination
h. Ranking
In case that there are more than 8 candidates admitted to the Final based on article 5, each member of the jury makes his or her own ranking for those candidates. This might also be the case if there are less than 6 candidates admitted.
i. All discussion will be led by the chair of the jury, based on the ranking of the candidates. After such discussion all jury members will vote in writing for or against admission to the Final. A minimum of 5 votes is decisive.
j. The jury will make decisions concerning one special award from the results of the Semi Final: the Prize of the Province Noord-Brabant for the most promising singer aged until 24. The singer should be chosen from the semi-final. The singer does not necessarily have to be selected for the final concert. This Prize will be awarded immediately after the Semi-final unless the candidate is selected for the final. The vote will be decided by a yes or no – a minimum of 5 votes is decisive.
k. The other prizes awarded during the semi-final are the Prize of the Friends of the IVC, the Press Prize and the Prize awarded by the Junior jury. The jury does not vote on the forementioned Prizes. All these prizes will be awarded after the semi-final.
l. The jury will choose two candidates from among the finalists who will perform Vermeer’s Gold / Het Goud van Vermeer at the final.
Ex aequo polls by the jury are permitted after discussion within the jury and can lead to the awarding of an ex aequo prize. Any such discussion will be conducted by the chair of the jury and will be followed by a vote of the jury members.
b. Opera Prize (first Prize in the category Opera)
A special prize in the Opera Category of € 7,500 . It is awarded to a Finalist who had a clear affinity for opera and a real stage personality. The singer must have presented at least 5 opera arias in his/her repertoire list.
1. The Opera Prize will be awarded by the jury in recognition of an outstanding opera performance
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of at least 5 “yes” votes is decisive.
c. Oratorio Prize (first Prize Category Oratorio): Toonkunst Oratorio Prize
A special prize in the Oratorio category of €7,500. It is intended for a Finalist who has a particular flair for oratorio and concert work and will be awarded by the international jury. The singer must have presented at least 5 oratorio arias in his/her repertoire list.
1. The Oratorio Prize will be awarded by the jury in recognition of an outstanding oratorio and/or concert performance.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of at least 5 “yes” votes is decisive.
d. Staetshuys Fonds Prize € 3.500 (Second Prize for either Opera or Oratorio)
1. The Staetshuys Fonds Prize is granted to the participant in either of the two categories who according to the jury is the best runner up. This prize counts as the second Prize.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no
3. A majority of at least 5 “yes” votes is decisive.
e. Wagner Prize of the Netherlands € 3,000 cash prize, plus € 2,000 scholarship prize
1. If not decided yet in the semi-final by elimination, this Prize is granted to the most promising Wagner singer of the competition.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of at least 5 “yes” votes is decisive.
f. Van Riemsdijk Prize € 2.500
1.The Van Riemsdijk Prize is granted to the participant who gave the best performance of Vermeer’s Gold commissioned for 2021 and 2022. Max. 2 candidates are selected after the Semi-Final of both categories; a decision will be made during the Finals to whom the prize will be awarded.
2. The jury decides by voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
3. A majority of 5 “yes” votes is decisive.
g. Marianne Blok Prize € 2.000
1. The prize is awarded on the merits described above and can be decided before the final.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of 5 yes votes is decisive.
This Junior Jury Prize will be awarded by students in voice from several Dutch conservatories after the Semi-Finals.
Any situation that may arise, not being covered by these regulations will be dealt with by the chair of the jury in consultation with the general manager and a board member delegated for this purpose from the IVC.