JOIN OUR PROGRAMS
Our scholarships provide the opportunity for young artists to participate in programs provided by one of our six partnering opera houses.
Applicants who have been chosen to attend the Opera Foundation's auditions compete for one of up to six scholarships. We offer scholarships for Berlin, Turin, Munich, Madrid, Amsterdam, and Vienna. Applicants may not choose one scholarship over the other or opt out of any one when applying. The Opera Foundation will conduct a single audition for all of our scholarships. Judges for the auditions include the senior representatives of Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Regio Torino, Die Bayerische Staatsoper, Dutch National Opera, Teatro Real, and Wiener Staatsoper.
SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS
Each scholarship is dedicated to a designated opera house or studio.
Scholarship recipients will travel to Berlin, Munich, Madrid, Turin, Amsterdam and/or Vienna. The term of scholarship is typically 10-11 months starting in September.
Each winner of a scholarship signs a Letter Agreement with the Opera Foundation, which explains the terms of the scholarship: a stipend in the amount of US $16,000 and travel expenses of $6,000 to cover transportation.
Each winner signs an additional contract with their respective opera house including additional benefits. The benefits may vary but typically include approximately a €700 per month stipend from the hosting opera house to cover housing and access to healthcare benefits. These additional benefits are governed by the contract negotiated between the participating opera house and the scholarship winner. These terms are subject to change based on currency fluctuations and/or other considerations dictated by the participating opera house.
During the year, the students receive advanced training and are offered roles in actual productions for which they may receive additional compensation. Recipients are encouraged to participate in language courses in Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain. The scholarship competition is currently only open to US citizens or permanent resident card holders, between the ages of 18 and 30 who are beginning their professional singing careers. Professional representation is not a requirement.
OUR SCHOLARSHIPS
CURT ENGELHORN SCHOLARSHIP
The scholarship is generously supported by the prominent German industrialist's family since 1996.
PAST WINNERS: Bavat Marom, Catherine Cangiano, Mark Tevis, Anne-Marie Seager, Laure de Marcellus, Raquela Sheeran, Harold Jay Wilson, Jessica Miller, Cheri Rose Katz, Melissa Shippen, Nicole Piccolomini, Julia Benzinger, Erica Miller, James J. Kee, Rabecca Jo Loeb, Kathryn Lewek, Andrew Harris, Matthew Newlin, Thomas Lehman, Nicole Haslett, Abigail Levis, Dean Murphy, Amber Fasquelle, Karis Tucker, Rebecca Pedersen, Kyle Miller
The Scholarship was established in 2008 with the generous support of Joseph Oughourlian of the investment management firm, Amber Capital LLC.
PAST WINNERS: Diego Matamoros, Dominic Michael Armstrong, John Paul Huckle, Matthew Peña, Samantha Korbey, Kate Fruchterman, Cullen Gandy, Joshua Sanders, Ashley Milanese, Gabriel Wernick, Gina Perregrino, Rachel Hauge, Annie Rosen, Scott Johnson, Ryan Milstead
This scholarship was established in 2013 by the Eklund and Dupire families in memory of their late son and brother, Björn Eklund.
PAST WINNERS: Matthew Grills, John Carpenter, Leela Subramaniam, Galeano Salas, Sandra Hamaoui, Bryan Murray, Matthew Cossack, Tyler Zimmerman, and Maire Carmack.
BETTERGUARDS SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was established by Alexandra Mikloweit and Martin Vetterlein in 2022.
MELINDA & WILLIAM J VANDEN HEUVEL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was established in 2023 in memory of the Honorable William J. vanden Heuvel
Dixy Drechsler Scholarship
PAST WINNERS: Stephanie Weiss, Gaston Rivero, Lucas Craig Harbour, Seth Mease Carico.
The Kinesis Scholarship
The Kinesis Scholarship was established by Jose Enrique Fernandez via the Kinesis Foundation in Puerto Rico. It grants young Puerto Rican students scholarships for academic and artistic pursuits.
PAST WINNERS: Meechot Marrero, Anais Mejias, Ian Matthew Castro.
2024 - 2025 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
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JARED WERLEIN
BASS-BARITONE
DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN
Betterguards Scholarship -
MARIA VASILEVSKAYA
SOPRANO
DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN
Opera Foundation Scholarship -
SOPHIA HUNT
SOPRANO
DUTCH NATIONAL OPERA
vanden Heuvel Foundation Scholarship -
ANDREW TURNER
TENOR
WIENER STAATSOPER
Opera Foundation Scholarship -
NATALIE LEWIS
MEZZO-SOPRANO
BAYERISCHE STAATSOPER
Opera Foundation Scholarship -
ELISSA PFAENDER
MEZZO-SOPRANO
TEATRO REAL MADRID
Opera Foundation Scholarship
OUR PARTNER OPERA HOUSES
The Berlin Scholarship is currently directed by Deutsche Oper Berlin's Intendant, Dietmar Schwarz. He is joined by Opera Director, Christoph Seuferle. Our scholarship winners have been an integral part of Deutsche Oper Berlin's ensemble since 1986. Many of our scholarship winners have received permanent contracts following the completion of their program.
The Turin Scholarship is under the direction of General Manager and Artistic Director Christian Sandri. Our scholarship winners have been an integral part of the Teatro Regio Torino ensemble since 2008. Starting in 2020, Sovrintendere Sebastian Schwarz founded the Teatro Regio’s Opera Studio thanks to the Opera Foundation’s support.
The Munich Scholarship launched in 2012 at the Bavarian State Opera under the direction of Tobias Truniger. The Bavarian State Opera's young artist program is called the "Opera Studio" and was founded in 2006 on the initiative of music director Kent Nagano. This program supports highly talented young artists and prepares them for an international career in step with actual practice. The promotion of young artists continues to play an important role in the success of the Bavarian State Opera.
The Amsterdam Scholarship was launched in 2020 with the collaboration of the Dutch National Opera’s Artistic Director, Sophie de Lint. Scholarship winners join the Dutch National Opera Studio under the direction of Rosemary Joshua. She was appointed as head of the Dutch National Opera Studio in September 2018, to build a relevant international program supporting and representing some of the brightest talents of the new generation.
The Madrid Scholarship was launched in 2023 under the supervision of Artistic Director Juan Matabosch and the generous support of Joseph Oughourlian of Amber Capital.
The Opera Foundation gave me the opportunity to sing in what is currently the richest operatic scene in the world: Germany. This is something I would not have been able to organize on my own, as a self-funded audition trip to Germany has been just out of reach for years, due to both time and financial constraints as a young artist. Additionally, singing the multitude of roles I've been assigned at Deutsche Oper Berlin (eight in total) will be crucial to my development as a well-rounded artist. I have never been on stage and singing as much as I have in only the first three months at DOB and I'm so incredibly grateful to the Opera Foundation for that.
Thank you!!!
Maire Therese Carmack
2022 - 2023 Björn Eklund Scholarship Winner.