And the winners are...

First prizes in both female and male categories were not awarded.

Just before midnight, the jury announced the results of the 19th Ada Sari International Vocal Artistry Competition in Nowy Sącz. "You were wonderful, although very nervous. We had some difficult decisions to make". - addressed the participants of the Competition Małgorzata Walewska, the chairwoman of the jury.

And indeed, the final was very nervous for the participants. You could feel the nervousness of the performers, some even said it was a war of nerves. "I am happy, I did not expect it. I am very happy. This is a great honour for me" - Ketevan Chuntishvili said right after the results were announced. "This is my first competition. I was persuaded to enter it by my Polish singing professor," she stressed.

"I feel joy and satisfaction that such a titanic effort was appreciated. We were very nervous. Now it's just starting to come off us," - David Roy said.

In the female voice category, two third prizes of PLN 8,000 each went to Maria Polańska (mezzo-soprano, Poland) and Andżelika Wiśniewska (mezzo-soprano, Poland). The jury also awarded two third prizes in the category of male voices of PLN 8,000 each. They were awarded to: Stanisław Napierała (tenor, Poland) and Jakub Szmidt (bass, Poland).

In addition, four distinctions of PLN 4,000 each were awarded. Among the distinguished were: Justyna Bluj (soprano, Poland); Olga Dyadiv (soprano, Ukraine); Zuzanna Nalewajek (mezzo-soprano, Poland); Karol Skwara (bass, Poland).

Friday's final of the Competition, in which 13 artists took part, including 11 from Poland, aroused many emotions. The artists fought for the victory, performing - due to the pandemic - with the accompaniment of the piano and not, as usual, of the orchestra. They performed two opera arias chosen by them from the competition list.

The artists were assessed by a jury composed of singers, opera agents, pedagogues and representatives of music institutions, which, in addition to the chairwoman Małgorzata Walewska, included: Michael Barobeck, casting director of the Graz Opera; Franziska Hunke, manager in charge of the artistic agency Artista International; Rebekah Rota, soprano and director, deputy director of the opera Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe; Dariusz Stachura, singer and general director of the Grand Theatre in Lódz and Wojciech Maciejowski, singer, pedagogue, professor leading the singing class at the Academy of Music in Poznań (jury secretary).

The Jury distributed many other awards and distinctions (the full list is attached in the minutes of the Jury). The prize pool for this year's Competition amounted to PLN 97,000.

"For several years now, I have been noticing the great potential of adepts of vocal art. We have beautiful voices in Poland, and many artists sing at a high level, well, maybe not yet at the world level, but at least at the European level". - said Dariusz Stachura, juror. "The artistic level of the Competition was very equal. We wish all the artists success," - he added.

On Saturday, September 4, at 11 a.m., a press conference will be held in Nowy Sącz, at the Beskid Hotel, during which the laureates, jury members and organisers of the Competition will be at your disposal.

In the evening, at 7 p.m., in the SOKÓŁ Małopolska Cultural Centre in Nowy Sącz, a concert of the laureates will begin, during which the winners will be presented with their prizes. The concert will be streamed online at: www.adasari.pl and on the YouTube channel of the SOKÓŁ Małopolska Cultural Centre in Nowy Sącz, the organiser of the Competition.

You are welcome!