Ottavio Ziino International Opera Competition

A competition that opens the doors to theaters

The Ottavio Ziino International Opera Competition was established in 2002 by the cultural association Il Villaggio della Musica to honor the memory of the Palermitan conductor Ottavio Ziino and to provide a truly international showcase for opera singers under 33. Over the years, the event has become a staple of the Roman calendar: those who reach the final take home not only a cash prize, but above all, the direct attention of those who decide the casts for European opera seasons.

The 25th edition in Rome

For 2026, the competition returns to the capital with a particularly prestigious format: the semi-finals and final will take place from September 18th to 20th in the Sala Sinopoli of the Auditorium Parco della Musica, the complex designed by Renzo Piano in the Flaminio district, under the patronage of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The jury is chaired by Massimo Biscardi, president and superintendent of the Accademia; joining him are a dozen artistic directors from institutions in Austria, Germany, France, Finland, and Italy, including the Salzburg Festival, the Bregenzer Festspiele, and the Opéra national de Paris. The artistic direction is entrusted to Wally Santarcangelo.

How to participate

Admission is exclusively via video submission, with at least one aria in Italian; registration for the 2026 edition closed on June 30th, and the entry fee is 100 euros, which is reimbursed to all semi-finalists. Singers born after January 1st, 1993, are eligible to compete, regardless of nationality: in recent editions, applications have exceeded 400, coming from about fifty countries.

The prizes

• First prize: 10,000 euros and the "Ottavio Ziino" trophy
• Second prize: 5,000 euros and trophy
• Third prize: 2,500 euros and trophy
• "Fabrizio Biondi" special prize: 2,000 euros
• Critics' prize: 1,500 euros
• "Massimo Filippucci and Maria Laura Cannilla" prize for soprano, "Maria Zunica" prize for Italian voice under 25, "Emerging Voice" prize, and audience prize: 1,000 euros each

Finalists also receive a travel reimbursement of up to 400 euros. Beyond the cash prizes, professional opportunities are paramount: winners may be invited to the 2027 Festival della Valle d'Itria or gain access to auditions for the Young Singers Project at the Salzburg Festival.

An event in the heart of Rome

Hosting the competition at the Auditorium Parco della Musica places it in one of the most frequented cultural hubs of the Municipality of Rome and the entire Lazio Region, just a short walk from the Ponte della Musica and the Flaminio district. For the Roman public, it is a rare opportunity to hear about twenty young voices tackling the great Italian repertoire—from Mozart to Verdi and the verismo style—in a world-class acoustic setting. Opera lovers know that many names now established on international stages have passed through this very stage.