September 14, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Melodies Soar at Beloved Singing Contest
PHILADELPHIA – Sept. 14, 2026 – The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) proudly presents its annual Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, taking place at the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. This popular competition sees AVA’s Resident Artists take the stage to perform a repertoire of opera’s most famous and beautiful arias while competing for top prizes, including the coveted Audience Choice Prize and the recently added Board of Directors Prize.
The Giargiari Bel Canto Competition has been a highlight of AVA’s season for over 45 years, enticing music lovers from near and far. Master Vocal Coach Danielle Orlando, the competition’s music director and accompanist, points out, “Live performances like the Giargiari Competition are vital to training our singers. Putting them in front of a live audience, especially one that gets to voice its feedback, is an experience like no other. This competition allows them to gauge their technical skills and refine their personal repertoires.”
The evening’s winners are selected by three distinguished opera professionals acting as the competition’s judges, awarding First, Second, and Third (Board of Directors) Prizes. The audience has the unique opportunity to play an active role by casting their votes for the Audience Choice Prize, adding an extra layer of engagement to an unforgettable evening. Last year’s competition featured masterful performances by mezzo-soprano Alla Yarosh (‘26) winning First Place and Audience Choice, bass-baritone Nan Wang (4th year) winning Second Place, and soprano Alexa Frankian (‘25) and baritone Geoffrey Schmelzer (4th year) tying for Third Place.
Each year, the Academy of Vocal Arts invites esteemed opera industry professionals to be guest judges for the Giargiari Competition. This year’s judges are Filippo Anselmi, Artist Manager at Piper Artist Management; Eric Einhorn, General Director of OperaDelaware; and Dolora Zajick, critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano who has earned praise for her mastery of Verdian repertoire, and who The New York Times once dubbed, “one of the greatest voices in the history of opera.”
The Giargiari Bel Canto Competition continues with AVA’s 2026-27 Opera Season, and AVA looks forward to seeing who will join the ranks of previous years’ First Place winners, including 2000 winner Latonia Moore (‘04), 2005 winner Stephen Costello (‘07), and 2010 winner Corinne Winters (‘11).
AVA’s Giargiari Bel Canto Competition:
Giargiari Bel Canto Competition
October 3, 2025, 7:30 p.m.
The Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
300 S. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA. 19102
Tickets: Tickets for the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition are now available to the public for purchase. For more information, please visit AVA’s official website at avaopera.org. To purchase tickets, call Ensemble Arts at 215-893-1999 or visit the following link:
Giargiari Bel Canto Competition
Subscriptions: Subscriptions to AVA’s 2026-27 Opera Season including the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition are now available to the public for purchase. For more information, please visit AVA’s official website at avaopera.org, call 215-735-1685 or visit the following link:
About Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA)
The mission of the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) is to be the world’s premier institution for training young artists to become international opera soloists. Through rigorous instruction and coaching, and by presentations of Resident Artists from around the world in concerts, oratorios, public programs and fully staged professional opera productions, AVA trains artists with the high potential for career success while enriching lives in Philadelphia and beyond. Gifted singers come from throughout the world to seek the exceptional guidance and training that AVA offers. Admission is determined by competitive annual auditions. AVA is distinguished by its reputation for high-quality performances that are acclaimed by critics locally, nationally, and internationally. Each year AVA Resident Artists are presented in four or five fully staged opera productions accompanied by orchestra. Resident Artists are cast in leading roles that they will in all likelihood continue to perform for the rest of their careers. Learn more about AVA at avaopera.org.
More information about AVA, its programs, and the upcoming 2026-27 Opera Season performances can be found online at avaopera.org or by calling (215) 735-1685.
Contact:
Andrew Rohe
Marketing & PR Manager
Academy of Vocal Arts
1920 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 735-1685
Email: arohe@avaopera.org
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