menu
Rules & Regulations
International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch 2026 | 2028
Category: Opera | Oratorio
Rules & Regulations Candidates
1.1. The 2026 Opera | Oratorio category of the International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch (“the Competition”) will take place in ’s-Hertogenbosch, between 2 October to 10 October 2026 inclusive. The 2028 Opera | Oratorio category of the International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch (“the Competition”) will take place in ’s-Hertogenbosch, between 29 September to 7 October 2028 inclusive.
1.1a The Competition in 2026 and 2028 has one category: Opera | Oratorio.
1.2. The Competition is open to (aspiring) professional singers of all nationalities who:
a. are max. 34 years old during the finals of the competition
b. are not younger than 18 years
c. have completed their professional education or are in their final year and aim for a professional career or have an equivalent level of training
1.2a Singers wishing to enter the Competition must take part in the IVC live preliminary rounds or via YouTube video recording. Singers who reside in the Netherlands or in Belgium cannot participate in the YouTube preliminary rounds, unless the Direction of the IVC indicates otherwise.
1.2b The management of the IVC will decide whether prize-winners from other competitions or past IVC competitions may be admitted directly to the First Round.
1.3. For the preliminary rounds of the Opera | Oratorio category candidates may provide their own pianist or use an official IVC pianist. During the Competition proper candidates will be assigned an official IVC accompanist.
1.4. All decisions of the jury shall be final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding its decisions.
1.5. The official language during the competition is English.
2.1 Applications can only be made via the online portal on the competition’s website (ivc.nu). The application is only confirmed after the Participant has paid the application fee and submitted all required information and documentation correctly.
2.2. Application and entry fee:
Entry fee for the preliminary rounds: € 70
If you need the services of a pianist for the preliminary rounds there is an additional charge € 30.
Payment and inscription deadlines are announced on our website.
Entry fee for the Competition proper, in case the participant gets through the Preliminary Rounds:
€ 150
Participants can pay the entry fee via the application portal on the IVC website.
Accepted payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal.
The entry fee will not be refunded to Participants who withdraw from the Competition after acceptance.
In case of financial hardship, an application can be made to the IVC secretariat for support from a special fund.
3.1. If the candidate gets through to the next rounds of the Competition, they will be informed about the exact schedule in due course.
3.2. The sequence of performance will be decided by the Competition.
3.3. An official professional IVC piano accompanist is assigned to all participants.
3.4. Contestants shall not communicate with jury members during the Competition, nor shall any other person communicate with the jury members on behalf of any competitor. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification from the Competition.
3.5. Following the Second Round, each participant not selected to go through to the Final, will be offered a personal consultation with a member of the jury. A request for this consultation session must be submitted to the IVC secretariat by the participant.
3.6. Should a candidate be a regular student (or in any other respect too close to a member of the jury for that member to be objective), the latter will abstain from the jury deliberations in his or her respect.
3.7. The jury will not permit the stated performance time to be exceeded under any circumstances. Participants who exceed their time limit might be interrupted or stopped during their performance.
3.8. The jury has the right not to grant any prize.
3.9. All rounds are open to the public. Therefore, appropriate dress is advised for the First Round and the Second Round. Evening dress is compulsory for the Finals.
3.10. All participants entering the Competition shall provide the organisation with legible (not annotated) digital copies (PDF-files) of their sheet music (vocal scores) of their complete repertoire list.
3.11. The organisation cannot provide photocopying facilities during the Competition.
4.1. Operatic excerpts must be performed in their original language and original key.
4.2. All opera and concert arias must be performed from memory. Sheet music is allowed for the oratorio pieces and for the compulsory vocal work by Bart Visman. Singing from memory, however, is generally expected for these pieces as well.
4.3. For the PRELIMINARY ROUNDS the candidates must choose 2 pieces of music, one from style period I and one from style period II or III (see 4.6.). The two pieces must be of 2 different languages. Singers who want to participate for the Wagner Prize must present 1 Wagner aria for this round.
The minimum length of the Preliminary Rounds programme is 8 minutes, the maximum 11 minutes.
4.4. For the COMPETITION proper the participants must choose 10 pieces.
4.5. The candidate must perform in at least three languages. Two different languages in each round and three different languages in total.
Please see the annex at the end of the rules and regulations with further suggestions for music from style period III.
4.7. If the Participant wants to compete for the WAGNER PRIZE he/she has to include two Wagner arias in the 10 pieces mentioned above. The two Wagner arias / fragments must be at least 4 minutes long and from a different opera or from a different character in the opera (e.g.: not 2 times a Wolfram aria).
4.8. Participants must clearly state their programmes, including name of composer (with year of birth and year of death, if applicable), title, and performance time of each work.
4.9. Candidates who are selected after the Preliminary Rounds will receive the music of the compulsory vocal work in PDF form. Please note that this work does not count for style period III. Nor does the language in which it is sung count towards the three required languages in the total repertoire.
4.10. Candidates are allowed to repeat (sections of) their programme of the Preliminary Round during the First Round or Second Round, but also have the liberty to perform an entirely different programme. Repetitions of repertoire from the First Round during the Second Round are NOT allowed.
4.12. Repertoire Opera | Oratorio:
The Competition is divided into three Rounds: the First Round, Second Round and the Final.
All 40 selected singers will perform in the First Round and in the Second Round. 8 singers will be selected to perform in the Finals.
The Management of the IVC and the conductor of the finals will choose the candidate’s programme for the finals, considering the preferences of the jury members and a balanced musical offering for the public.
The repertoire list Opera | Oratorio for the Competition must comprise:
– 10 arias, of which at least 2 operatic arias from different Style Periods and 2 oratorio arias from different Style Periods
– The compulsory vocal work, with a choice in which language the candidate wants to sing the song (Dutch or English).
Specifications concerning the repertoire list:
– The repertoire list must contain at least 3 arias from Style period I, at least 3 arias from Style period II, at least 2 arias from Style period III.
– The candidate must perform arias from all 3 different Style Periods during the whole competition.
– The candidate must perform in at least three languages. Two different languages in each round and three different languages in total.
– Performance of the compulsory vocal work does not count towards the Style period III, nor towards the required different languages.
– Oratorio repertoire includes solo arias from masses, sacred and secular oratorio, sacred and secular cantatas.
– Within the total repertoire list of 10 works candidates may feature a maximum of 1 operetta aria or zarzuela, or 1 concert aria, or 2 orchestral songs.
– If the Participant competes for the WAGNER PRIZE he/she has to include two Wagner arias in the 10 pieces mentioned above. The two Wagner arias / fragments must be at least 4 minutes long and from a different opera or from a different character in the opera (e.g.: not 2 times a Wolfram aria).
The programmes for the First Rounds and Second Round are compiled by the candidates with arias from their entire repertoire list.
4.13. First Round
A maximum of 40 singers will be selected for the First Round and Second Round. They all perform in both rounds.
A programme of two or three arias (depending on the length of the programme). The programme must contain at least 2 different style periods and at least 2 different languages.
The candidate may repeat part or all of their programme from the Preliminary Rounds if desired; other arias from their repertoire list may also be sung. The minimum length of the First Round programme is 12 minutes, the maximum 16 minutes. Candidates must perform their arias in the order they have submitted.
Candidates nominated for the WAGNER PRIZE have to include one Wagner aria from their repertoire list in the First Round programme.
4.14. Second Round
A programme of two or three arias (depending on the length of the programme). The programme must contain at least 2 different style periods and at least 2 different languages.
The candidate must perform at least 1 oratorio aria in the First Round and at least 1 oratorio aria in the Second Round.
The minimum length of the Second Round programme is 12 minutes, the maximum length is 26 minutes, including the compulsory work. Candidates must perform their arias in the order they have submitted.
The compulsory work is performed by all singers in the First Round or Second Round, they indicate themselves where in their programme and whether they perform the Dutch or English text. Performance of the compulsory vocal work by does not count towards the Style period III, nor towards the required different languages.
Candidates nominated for the WAGNER PRIZE have to include the other Wagner aria from their repertoire list in their Second Round program.
4.15. Final
Jury members are invited to indicate which of the 10 arias in the candidate’s list they want to hear in the Final with symphony orchestra. The Management of the IVC and the conductor of the Final will try to take these preferences into account when deciding upon the definite programme.
It is possible that the candidate will have to repeat a work or works that he/she has already performed in earlier rounds.
Prizes will be partially awarded after the Second Round and partially after the Final.
The Competition will award the following prizes after the final:
Grand Prix ’s-Hertogenbosch (1stPrize)
€ 15,000
Toonkunst Prize (2ndPrize)
€ 7,500
Staetshuys Fund Prize (3rd Prize)
€ 3,500
Wagner Prize
€ 3,000 cash prize, plus € 2,000 scholarship prize
The ‘Wagnergenootschap Nederland’ has consciously chosen to create a prize that will continue the education and further professional development of the winner. This amount can also be used to cover the costs of participation in masterclasses given by a Wagner specialist. With the Wagner Prize the Richard Wagner Foundation Netherlands aim to promote the work by composer Richard Wagner to the attention of audiences and musicians and to encourage young singers into this field.
Young Talent Prize
€ 3,500
The Young Talent Prize is awarded to a singer under the age of 25. The winner may also be determined in the First Round or Second Round.
Marianne Blok Prize
€ 3,500
For the most musically gifted coloratura soprano. The winner may also be determined in the First Round or Second Round.
Van Amelsvoort Prize
€ 2,500
Prize will be given to the participant who best performs the compulsory piece.
ANED Fund Audience Prize
€ 1,500
The Audience Prize will be chosen by the members of the audience during the Final.
The following prizes will be awarded after the Second Round.
Prize Association Friends of the IVC
€ 1,500
Press Prize
€ 1,000
Awarded by the press jury.
Junior Jury Prize
€ 1,000
Awarded by students in voice and music theatre.
Various Laureates’ Concerts and Engagements
Various concerts and engagements are offered by artistic directors and opera houses attending the competition.
6.1. The Competition will supply the following:
6.2. Rehearsals with piano accompanists will be available, but only for limited periods of time. Rehearsal time will be divided equally among participants. A detailed schedule will be provided before arrival. Participants must arrive at the designated rehearsal location 10 minutes before the rehearsal is due to start.
6.3. Finalists in the Opera | Oratorio category must attend all scheduled orchestra rehearsals, which take place between the Second Round and the Finals. A candidate that fails to participate in the orchestra rehearsals is automatically excluded from the Finals.
6.4. Participants not selected to proceed to a following round are encouraged to attend further rounds and to participate in other IVC activities, although seats must be reserved for the Finals. We will announce which other activities can be attended by participants who have not reached the Finals.
6.5. The Competition will host Masterclasses by members of the jury for participants who have not been selected to proceed to the Final. These participants will be selected by the jury and IVC management and will be informed after the Second Round. Participants are welcome to be in the audience during all Masterclasses.
6.6. Participants are encouraged to stay after they might have been eliminated from the competition for the purpose of participating in additional courses from professionals in the field on career development and further coaching.
7.1. The obtaining of appropriate travel documents, visas and insurance is the sole responsibility of each competitor. The Competition accepts no liability of any kind whatsoever for any personal illness or injury sustained by the competitor, nor for loss or damage to a competitor’s belongings during transit or while at the competition. Medical costs, of whatever nature, will not be reimbursed by the IVC. A doctor will be on call for the duration of the Competition in case of any medical emergency.
7.2. Host families shall not be held responsible for accidents or damage of any kind which may befall the participants, with the exception of those accidents that fall under third party insurance.
7.3. Participants must refrain from all professional engagements or duties during the Competition. Exceptions can only be made at the discretion of the IVC directorate.
8.1. By submitting the application form through the website, applicants state their agreement:
8.2. All rights reserved. Programme subject to change.
Annex
Further possible composers for Style Period III (non-exhaustive list)
John Adams
Louis Andriessen
Samuel Barber
Bela Bartok
Alban Berg
Luciano Berio
Leonard Bernstein
Harrison Birtwistle
Benjamin Britten
Ferruccio Busoni
Hans Cox
Luigi Dallapicola
Peter Maxwell Davies
George Gershwin
Philip Glass
Hans Werner Henze
Paul Hindemith
Arthur Honegger
Willem Jeths
Zoltan Kodaly
Ernst Krenek
György Ligeti
Theo Loevendie
Bohuslav Martinu
Gian Carlo Menotti
Olivier Messiaen
Luigi Nono
Carl Orff
Krzysztof Penderecki
Francis Poulenc
Sergei Prokofiev
Aribert Reimann
Wolfgang Rihm
Kaija Saariaho
Peter Schat
Dmitri Shostakovich
Igor Stravinsky
Karol Szymanovski
Michael Tippett
Viktor Ullmann
Michel van der Aa
Alexander von Zemlinsky
Kurt Weill
Judith Weir
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Bernd Alois Zimmermann
Jury Rules 2026 | 2028
International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch
Opera | Oratorio
1. Jury composition
The jury for the IVC Opera | Oratorio consists of a voting chair plus at least 6 voting members, the majority of whose members represent nationalities and countries of residence other than Dutch and the Netherlands.
Members of the jury are appointed by the management of the competition. Chair of the jury in 2026 is Sir David Pountney. The chair will be assisted by Andrew Watts (general and artistic director of the IVC).
• The Jury is made up of leading professional in the world of Opera and Oratorio.
• The Jury is made up of members of a global network which the IVC has assembled over the past 70 years.
• Each member is a highly respected expert in their field.
• Jury members are connected to Opera Houses and Young Artist programmes.
• Jury members are mostly Artistic Directors, Heads of Casting or casting consultants for major opera houses globally.
• Jury members possess an overview of the operatic world and can guide participants and are able to engage with participants and to be able to articulate feedback to participants.
• Jury members possess the ability to offer employment to participants.
• Jury members recognise quality and professional standards.
2. Relationships participants/jury/others
a. The chair of the jury and the jury members will declare the names of any participants with whom they have any connection before the start of the competition.
b. The chair of the jury will not preside over any meeting in which the jury is deliberating on a participant who has any connection whatsoever with the chair.
c. A jury member who has any connection whatsoever with a participant will abstain from casting any vote concerning the participant in question.
d. The term connection refers to any link with (ex-) students, prospective students, relatives or individuals related by marriage or friends.
e. Each candidate will be provided with a list with the names of all members of the jury before the first round.
f. Jury members shall not have any contact with any candidate during the competition apart from the designated feedback sessions.
g. No public statements about candidates will be made by members of the jury, nor about the deliberations by the jury.
3. Replacement
If the chair or jury member is – as a consequence of article 2a – not permitted to vote or preside over the meeting, he or she will be replaced by the general and artistic director of the IVC, who is herewith authorized to vote.
4. Presence at jury deliberations
a. During jury deliberations, no person who is not a member of the jury is allowed to be present in the jury room, except for members of the management/staff of the IVC, the General and Artistic Director is appointed secretary of the jury.
b. Persons with any connection whatsoever with a participant are not permitted in the jury room whilst the participant involved is under consideration.
5. First Round and Second Round
a. Each jury member assigns every participant – during or immediately after his or her performance and without consulting any third party – one vote. This vote represents the jury member’s opinion as a whole. The vote will be communicated to the chair of the jury.
b. The jury will consider the difficulty and artistic merit of the programs for each round.
Criteria:
1) Vocal Quality and technical ability
2) Musical Skills – rhythm, phrasing, expression and use and understanding of the musical materials
3) Language skills and articulation and communication in the language
4) Choice of repertoire / scene / character
5) Presentation (artistic presence) and character expression together with physical stature of the body
6) Physical Language and stage presence
7) Communication skills
8) Potential for development to an international level
c. Candidates must choose their programme in fulfilment of all requirements concerning language and stylistic periods.
d. The vote will be expressed by the numbers 0 to 3.
0: No
1: Doubt, tending to no
2: Doubt, tending to yes
3: Yes
Points explanation:
0 – it is felt that the participant has not been able to manage any of the criteria to a sufficient standard in the first instance.
1 – it is felt that the participant has some skills but there are areas of the criteria that are not sufficiently developed currently.
2. – it is felt that this is a developing artist but falls short in the full gamut of the criteria.
3 – it is felt that this artist fulfils the criteria.
e. All participating singers will perform different programs in the first round and second round that meet the set repertoire requirements. 6 – 8 participants will be allowed to continue to the Finals.
f. The points given for the first round and for the second round for a candidate are accumulated. The results will be classified as follows:
First Round + Second Round |
36 – 42 points admission to Finals |
28 – 35 points discussion |
0 – 34 points elimination |
g. Ranking. In case that there are more than 8 candidates admitted to the Finals based on article 5f, each member of the jury makes his or her own ranking for those candidates. This might also be the case if there are less than 6 candidates admitted.
All discussions will be led by the chair of the jury, based on the ranking of the candidates. After such discussion all jury members will vote in writing for or against admission to the Finals. A minimum of 5 votes is decisive.
h. Candidates who apply for the Wagner prize and sang a Wagner aria in the preliminaries AND have submitted a Wagner aria for the first round and the second round are eligible for the Wagner Prize. Other candidates may offer a single Wagner aria in either round without qualifying for this prize. The Wagner Genootschap of the Netherlands will be present at the rounds and will make their opinion known to the jury but it is up to the jury to decide. The jury can decide to already award the Wagner Prize by elimination after the semi-final. The winner is then automatically a finalist. It is however no problem to select two Wagner singers in the final and only decide afterwards. It is possible to nominate a Wagner Prize candidate for the final but not for the Wagner Prize. In that case the candidate cannot be asked to sing a Wagner aria in the final concert.
i. The Marianne Blok Coloratura Prize will be awarded to a coloratura soprano who has an outstanding technique but at the same time knows how to use this technique to express the emotions in the music, as Marianne Blok herself did. Members of the foundation will make their opinion known to the jury but the jury is free to decide. The prize can be decided in any round and be awarded to a soprano who does not make it to the next round but who still stands out as far as dramatic capability concerns.
j. The jury will make decisions concerning one special award: the Young Talent Prize for the most promising singer aged until 24. The singer should be chosen through the results of the entire competition. The singer does not necessarily have to be selected for the final concert. This Prize will be awarded immediately after the second round unless the candidate is selected for the final. The vote will be decided by a yes or no – a minimum of 5 votes is decisive.
k. The other prizes awarded after the second round are the Prize of the Friends of the IVC, the Press Prize and the Prize awarded by the Junior jury. The jury does not vote on the forementioned Prizes. All these prizes will be awarded after the Second Round.
l. The jury will choose two candidates from among the finalists who will perform the compulsory piece at the final.
6. Results of the Final
Each jury member makes a ranking and a nomination for the prizes. Grand Prix, Toonkunst Prize (second place) Staetshuys Fonds Prize (third place), Van Amelsvoort Prize, Wagner Prize (if not awarded yet) Young Talent Prize (if not awarded yet) and Marianne Blok Prize (if not awarded yet).
7. Prizes awarded by the international jury during the final:
Ex aequo polls by the jury are permitted after discussion within the jury and can lead to the awarding of an ex aequo prize. Any such discussion will be conducted by the chair of the jury and will be followed by a vote of the jury members.
a. Grand Prix of the City of ’s-Hertogenbosch (The official winner of the competition)
A sum of € 15.000.
1. The Grand Prix will be awarded by the jury in recognition of an outstanding performance
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of at least 6 “yes” votes is decisive.
The Winner will also receive a silver medal.
b. Toonkunst Prize – second place
A prize of € 7,500.
1.It is awarded to the participant who according to the jury is the best runner up.
This prize counts as the Second Prize.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of at least 6 “yes” votes is decisive.
c. Staetshuys Fonds Prize € 3.500 – third place
1. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
2. A majority of at least 6 “yes” votes is decisive.
d. Wagner Prize of the Netherlands € 3,000 cash prize, plus € 2,000 scholarship prize
1. If not decided yet in the semi-final by elimination, this Prize is granted to the most promising Wagner singer of the competition.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of at least 6 “yes” votes is decisive.
e. Van Amelsvoort Prize € 2.500
1. The Van Riemsdijk Prize is granted to the participant who gave the best performance of Veronese’s Green. Max. 2 candidates are selected after the Semi-Final; a decision will be made during the Finals to whom the prize will be awarded.
2. The jury decides by voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
3. A majority of 6 “yes” votes is decisive.
f. Marianne Blok Prize; € 3.500
1. The prize is awarded on the merits described above and can be decided before the final.
2. The jury decides by voting yes or no.
3. A majority of 6 yes votes is decisive.
8. Prizes not awarded by the international jury during the final:
a. Prize of the Friends of the IVC € 1.500
Chosen by the Friends of the IVC from the Semi-Finalists and awarded after the Semi-Finals.
b. Audience Prize; € 1,500
The Audience Prize will be chosen by the members of the audience during the Final. The audience prize is granted by the ANED Fund.
c. Press Prize; € 1,000
Winner of the press prize will be chosen by the press jury after the Semi-Finals. Awarded after the Semi Finals.
d. Junior Jury Prize; €1,000
This Junior Jury Prize will be awarded by students in voice from several Dutch conservatories after the Semi-Finals.
e. Engagement Prize;
This Prize will be awarded by the Dutch Händel Association.
9. Unforeseen contingencies
Any situation that may arise, not being covered by these regulations will be dealt with by the chair of the jury in consultation with the general manager and a board member delegated for this purpose from the IVC.
10. Amendments to jury regulations
The board of the IVC reserves the right to propose amendments to this jury regulations. The jury decides with a simple majority vote whether such a proposal will be discussed or not. If so, the members of the jury will decide by regular majority of vote on the amendment.
2025 © International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch
Met ♥ gemaakt door Wilgehof + Sodaar
