The 56th IVC LiedDuo 's-Hertogenbosch starts on 10 October. Fourteen LiedDuo's, young top singers and pianists, come from all over the world to 's-Hertogenbosch. For almost 70 years, the IVC has been the only international singing competition in the Netherlands and has served as a springboard to the world's major stages and the start of successful careers for many singers. Prize winners include Elly Ameling, Thomas Hampson, Nelly Miricioiu, Marco Bakker, Dame Sarah Connolly, Jard van Nes, Pretty Yende, Lenneke Ruiten and many others. The renowned competition takes place from 10 to 14 October in the Statenzaal of Het Noordbrabants Museum and concludes with the final on 15 October in the Verkadefabriek in 's-Hertogenbosch. During this week, the Lied is the focus and the new IVC prize song Veronese's groen by composer Bart Visman and poet Marc Pantus will have its world premiere.
From over 90 LiedDuo's, fourteen duos, singer and pianist, have been selected and they compete during the semi-finals on 11 and 12 October for one of the four places in the final. They are judged by an international jury consisting of world-renowned singers and musicians who also perform during the competition in recitals and masterclasses. Composer and jury member Errollyn Wallen opens the competition with a performance on 10 October and gives a masterclass on 13 October. Furthermore, a unique performance of Schubert's Winterreise by baritone (also jury president) Bo Skovhus with pianist and jury member Stefan Vladar at the piano on 14 October. And there are masterclasses by jury members Sophie Koch (mezzo-soprano and IVC winner) and Georgian pianist Nino Gvetadze on 14 October. Two recent winning duos mezzo-soprano Esther Valentin & pianist Anastasia Grishutina and soprano Sophia Burgos & pianist Daniel Gerzenberg return to 's-Hertogenbosch and will be heard on 13 October during a song recital. Daniel Gerzenberg, also a poet, gives a musical lecture on the value of poetry for the Lied on Sunday at 14.00 in the Verkadefabriek, after which the final follows.
For the competition participants, there are not only beautiful prize money to be won, but also performances at concerts. This year, for the first time, a prize will be awarded for the best performance of works by female composers.
Both the semi-finals on Wednesday 11 October and 12 October, from 19.00, and the final on 15 October from 16.00, can be followed live online via the YouTube channel 'VocalCompetition'.
The following 14 duos have been admitted to the semi-final of the 56th IVC 2023 - LiedDuo:
05A Marie Maidowski, Soprano (Germany, 1998) 05B Youngseob Jeon, Pianist (South Korea, 1989)
07A Benjamin Hewat-Craw, Baritone (United Kingdom, 1993) 07B Sofi Simeonidis, Pianist (Georgia, 1991)
12A Katja Maderer, Soprano (Germany, 2000) 12B Amadeus Wiesensee, Pianist (Germany, 1993)
39A Elenora Hu, Soprano (Netherlands, 1995) 39B Amy Chang, Pianist (New Zealand, 1994)
40A Julietta Aleksanyan, Soprano (Armenia, 1995) 40B Erik García Álvarez, Pianist (Spain, 1989)
42A George Clark, Baritone (United Kingdom, 1996) 42B Austeja Valusyte, Pianist (Lithuania, 1991)
49A Giacomo Schmidt, Baritone (Germany, 1997) 49B Jong Sun Woo, Pianist (South Korea, 1992)
58A Gabriel Rollinson, baritone (Germany, 1993) 58B Yuriko Watanabe, Pianist (Japan, 1994)
63A Roza Herwig, Mezzo-soprano (Netherlands, 1996) 63B Julius Backer, Pianist (Netherlands, 2003)
81A Michael Bell, Tenor (Ireland, 1994) 81B George Ireland, Pianist (United Kingdom, 1995)
83A Jacob Scharfman, Baritone (United States, 1991) 83B Bertan Balli, Pianist (Germany, 1988)
89A Annabel Kennedy, Mezzo-soprano (United Kingdom, 1997) 89B Ana Manastireanu, Pianist (Romania, 1995)
90A Daria Brusova, Soprano (Russia, 1997) 90B Mark Vaza, Pianist (Russia, 1999)
95A Vinicius Costa da Silva, Bass-baritone (Brazil, 1995) 95B Pierre-Nicolas Colombat, Pianist (France, 1992)
In order of competition registration number.