The 2026 Young Singers Project
14 vocalists from as many countries have been chosen this year from among more than 1,000 applicants for the Young Singers Project. This development programme for young vocal talents was initiated in 2008; since that year, a total of 238 singers from 46 nations has participated.
“Every year, it’s fascinating to skim through the applications after the deadline has passed, before we start diving deeply into the evaluation. For the 2026 YSP, we received a total of 1,007 applications from around the world, and we invited more than 100 of those to audition. At the auditions, we ask ourselves: does the live impression match the videos, or might it be better, even? In the end, the choice is always torturous, as we can only accept 14 or 15 singers,” says Evamaria Wieser, YSP casting director and manager.
During their two-month residency, YSP participants receive comprehensive musical training: their curriculum includes vocal coaching, body work, repertoire studies, stage rehearsals and song interpretation. They also participate in various workshops.
Their first public performance takes place on 19 July at the Main Auditorium of the Mozarteum Foundation, as part of the Festival Opening Party. They also appear in the children’s opera King Arthur Junior, a new composition commissioned by the Salzburg Festival.
Young Singers take on the following roles in King Arthur Junior:
Joshua Berg (Tenor) – Arthur
Jack Lee (Tenor) – Arthur
Leander Carlier (Baritone) – Merlin
Daniils Pogoriless (Baritone) – Merlin
Brigitta Listra (Mezzo-Soprano) – Philidel
Amandine Portelli (Mezzo-Soprano) – Philidel
Imola Maté (Soprano) – Oswaldine
Mariam Suleiman (Soprano) – Oswaldine
Julian Schmidlin (Countertenor) – Grimbald
Weitere Informationen zu dieser Produktion:
Kin Arthur Junior
Furthermore, the Young Singers have the opportunity to present themselves in public master classes – led this year by Kate Lindsey, Malcolm Martineau and Julian Prégardien – and perform alongside prominent Festival artists in opera productions.
YSP participants will appear in the following roles in this year’s Salzburg Festival opera programme:
Hanna Park (Soprano) – First Lady-in-Waiting / Der Prinz von Homburg
Marius Aron (Bass-Baritone) – Frère Sylvestre / Saint François d´Assise
Ivan Lyvch (Bass) – Frère Rufin / Saint François d´Assise
Anja Mittermüller (Mezzo-Soprano) – Dryade / Ariadne auf Naxos
Brigitta Listra (Mezzo-Soprano) – Third Lady-in-Waiting / Der Prinz von Homburg
Blaž Stajnko (Bass-Baritone) – A Wig-Maker / Ariadne auf Naxos
On 27 August, the participants join the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg under the baton of Leo Hussain for the YSP Final Concert at the Haus für Mozart.
YSP Final Concert
Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg
Conductor: Leo Hussain
Thursday, 27 August 2026 at 6 pm
Haus für Mozart
The programme will be announced at a later date:
YSP Final Concert
Since 2013, the Young Singers Project has been financially supported by the Kühne Foundation,
which is keen to support young vocalists and opera, and which became a Main Sponsor of the
Salzburg Festival in 2019.