2 – 10 October 2026, ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Join the next generation of vocal excellence in ’s-Hertogenbosch!
The International Vocal Competition (IVC) ’s-Hertogenbosch invites classical singers from all over the world to take part in the Opera | Oratorio Competition 2026 — an exceptional platform for artistic growth, inspiration, and international exposure.
Singers can now submit their application for the Preliminary Selections of the IVC Opera | Oratorio 2026.
Apply Now!
For more than a week, the IVC transforms the city of ’s-Hertogenbosch into a vibrant meeting place for the world’s most promising voices. After auditions across Europe, Asia, and the USA, forty outstanding singers will be selected to participate in the Main Rounds and Finals at Theater aan de Parade, performing with the renowned symphony orchestra Philzuid, conducted by Grammy Award-winning Karen Kamensek.
The competition offers far more than prizes. Participants receive personal feedback from an international jury of leading professionals — under the distinguished leadership of Sir David Pountney — take part in masterclasses and workshops, and build lifelong artistic connections. Every singer performs at least twice — in both opera and oratorio repertoire — ensuring a rich and rewarding experience for all that includes mentorship and career
guidance.
In addition, Anne-Maartje Lemereis, Composer Laureate of the Netherlands, is writing the new commissioned work ‘Feathers’ especially for this edition of the competition. This world premiere will be performed by all selected singers in the main rounds, underscoring the IVC’s commitment to fostering collaboration between composers and performers and to showcasing contemporary Dutch music on an international stage.
The IVC values innovation, excellence, diversity, and well-being. Collaborations with fashion academies and designers celebrate the dialogue between music and style. The competition actively supports artists from underrepresented regions, offers travel grants and host-family accommodation, and provides mental-health and career-coaching resources.
With a total prize fund of €50,000, concert engagements, mentorship opportunities, and international exposure through OperaVision’s global livestream, the IVC Opera | Oratorio Competition is a launchpad for the next generation of vocal talent.
Main Rounds: Friday, 2 October – Monday, 5 October 2026
Grand Finale: Saturday, 10 October 2026
Preliminary Selections – Live Auditions
The 59th International Opera | Oratorio Competition offers €50,000 in prize money as well as engagement prizes. A complete list of engagement prizes will be announced on this website at a later date.
To be announced at a later date
Wednesday, 30 September 2026:
Arrival in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands
Rehearsals
Thursday, 1 October 2026:
Participants rehearse their competition repertoire with the official IVC pianists:
Fran Hills, Ian Tindale, and Markus Zugehör
Main Rounds
Friday, 2 October – Monday, 5 October 2026
All participants perform two different programmes with piano accompaniment before the
international jury.
Career & Development Week
Tuesday, 6 October – Friday, 9 October 2026
For participants not selected for the Finals:
For finalists: Rehearsals with Philzuid Symphony Orchestra conducted by Karen Kamensek
Grand Finale
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Grand Finale with Philzuid Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Karen Kamensek
Optional Media Appearance
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Live radio or television performance featuring the Grand Prix winner.
The Competition is open to aspiring professional singers of all nationalities who have completed their formal vocal studies, are in their final year of study, or have an equivalent level of training, and who aim to pursue a professional singing career.
Maximum age: 34 years
Eligible singers must be born on or after 11 October 1991.
Participants must be at least 18 years old at the time of the competition.
Entry Fee
Preliminary Selections: €50
Participants may bring their own accompanist to the preliminary selections.
If this is not possible, an official IVC pianist can be arranged for an additional fee of €30.
Main Competition (upon selection): €175
During the main competition, accommodation with host families is provided, and finalists may claim reimbursement of travel expenses up to a maximum of €500, upon submission of their travel documents.
Participants can pay the entry fee through the application portal on the IVC website. The fee includes 21% VAT and all transaction charges.
Accepted payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, Bancontact, iDEAL, SOFORT Banking, KBC/CBC Banking, and Belfius Pay.
The entry fee is non-refundable for participants who withdraw from the Competition after their application has been accepted.
Zaterdag 27 september | 20.15 uur
De internationaal gevierde sopraan én voormalig IVC-prijswinnares Claron McFadden keert terug naar Den Bosch voor een exclusief recital, samen met pianist Hans Eijsackers. In dit speciaal voor de IVC samengestelde programma zorgt McFadden, met haar heldere stem, muzikale sensualiteit en nuchtere uitstraling, voor een onvergetelijke avond. Eijsackers, al twintig jaar een vertrouwd gezicht binnen de IVC, begeleidt haar met de klasse die we van hem kennen. Een muzikaal hoogtepunt binnen Theatre in Song 2025.
“Een soubrette met een ongekend talent op het snijvlak van klassiek en jazz, zoals bleek uit haar vertolking van ‘Summertime’ uit Porgy and Bess – een herinnering aan haar Amerikaanse jeugd als zangeres én trombonist in de Methodistenkerk.”
— Katja Reichenfeld, NRC, 5 september 1988
Vrijdag 26 september | 20.15 uur
Andrew Watts, algemeen en artistiek directeur IVC presenteert met trots het allereerste IVC Songfest – een sfeervolle avond vol zang, muziek en plezier, waarin de menselijke stem en de kracht van verbinding centraal staan. Tijdens dit unieke evenement krijgen ervaren zangliefhebbers – van solisten en duo’s tot koren – de kans om te schitteren op het podium van de Pleinzaal in het Theater aan de Parade.
Begeleid door pianist Ben Martin Weijand, delen zij hun passie met het publiek: niet als professionals, maar als mensen voor wie zingen een onmisbaar deel van het leven is.
Aanmelden voor deelname kan via info@ivc.nu.
The 59th International Vocal Competition Opera | Oratorio offers participants the opportunity to perform a wide spectrum of repertoire.
Preliminary Selections
The competition applies the following three style periods:
Each candidate performs two different programmes with piano accompaniment in the Main Rounds.
Each Main Round programme must include:
Singers wishing to enter the Competition must take part in the Preliminary Selections, either through live auditions or by submitting an online video via YouTube.
Preliminary Selections – Live Auditions 2026
Preliminary Selections – Online Auditions 2026
There will be two separate rounds of video jury review, each with its own submission deadline:
YouTube Group 1: 4 March 2026 deadline
YouTube Group 2: 23 June 2026 deadline
Singers residing in the Netherlands or Belgium are not eligible to participate in the YouTube Preliminary Selections, unless otherwise authorised by the General and Artistic Director of the IVC.
Singers can submit their application for the Preliminary Selections of the IVC Opera | Oratorio 2026 via the online portal.
Apply Now
Anne-Maartje Lemereis, Composer Laureate of the Netherlands, will provide the new commissioned work ‘Feathers’ specially for the 59th International Vocal Competition. This world premiere will be performed by all selected singers in the Main Rounds, underscoring the IVC’s commitment to fostering collaboration between composers and performers and to showcasing contemporary Dutch music on an international stage.
Title: Feathers (Veren)
Composer / Lyricist: Anne-Maartje Lemereis (*1989)
Duration: approx. 5 minutes
Instrumentation:
• voice & piano
• voice & symphony orchestra
Voice types and transpositions:
The work is available in three transpositions, covering seven voice types:
• Soprano / Tenor
• Mezzo-soprano / Countertenor / Alto
• Baritone / Bass
Languages: Dutch and English
Availability of sheet music: May 2026
Tradition of commissioned works
Since 2002, the IVC has commissioned a compulsory vocal work for each competition edition. Previous commissioned composers include:
Micha Hamel (2002), Rob Zuidam (2004), Robin de Raaff (2006), Roel van Oosten (2008), Wilbert Bulsink (2010), Jeppe Moulijn (2012), Willem Jeths (2014), Monique Krüs (2016), Sylvia Maessen (2018), Bart Visman (2021/2023).
In 2025, Karmit Fadael composed the compulsory work for the first edition of Theatre in Song.
Van Amelsvoort Prize
The Van Amelsvoort Prize (€2,500) will be awarded to the singer whom the jury considers the finest interpreter of the compulsory work by Anne-Maartje Lemereis.
The compulsory work will be performed by all 40 singers in the Main Rounds with piano accompaniment. From these performances, two singers will be nominated to perform the work during the Finals on 10 October 2026, accompanied by Philzuid under the direction of conductor Karen Kamensek.
Participants may choose to perform the work in either Dutch or English.
