The first edition of the IMEP-organized Namur International Singing Competition concluded on Friday, April 19, with the victory of Australian soprano Cathy-Di Zhang. At 31 years old, Cathy-Di Zhang impressed the jury members with Susanna’s aria “E Susanna non vien… Dove sono” from W.A. Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

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Premier prix : Grand prix du CIALN, Prix de la ville de Namur - 3000 €

Cathy-Di Zhang (31 ans, Australie)

Deuxième prix : Prix de Rotary Namur Confluent - 2000 €

Louise Foor (23 ans, Belgique)

Troisième prix - 1000 €

Anne-Aurore Cochet (32 ans, France)

Quatrième prix : Prix des Amis de l’IMEP - 1000 €

Becca Marriott (33 ans, Grande-Bretagne) 

Cinquième prix : Prix « Musique et Vie » - 1000 €

Gwendoline Blondeel (23 ans, Belgique)

Prix du public : Prix « Renée Walthéry » - 500 €

Gwendoline Blondeel

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The Audience Prize was also awarded to Gwendoline Blondeel for her performance of Olympia’s aria “Les oiseaux dans la charmille” from Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. The five winners performed with the orchestra of the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège on Saturday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at the Royal Theatre of Namur, and on Sunday, April 28, at 3 p.m. at the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège, under the direction of Ayrton Desimpelaere.

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​Fifty-six candidates, all aged 33 or under, participated in the first round, from which ten qualified for the final.

 

The final jury was composed of:

Guido Jardon, President of the jury

Patrizia Ciofi 

Angélique Noldus

Manuel Rondal (representing Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera)

Pascale Montauban

Marc Clemeur

Ayrton Desimpelaere

Camille De Rijck

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