Jury

Soprano. She studied at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw where she graduated with honours and was awarded the  Kazimierz Czekotowski prize. When she was a 3^rd year student she debuted in the National Theatre in Warsaw and after graduation she was employed there.  She sang the title part in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Roxana in King Roger by Szymanowski; Violetta in La traviata, Amelia in Masked Ball, Leonora in The Force of Destiny, Maira in Simone Boccanegra and Elvira in Ermani – all by G. Verdi; Marguerite in Faust by  Gounod; Micaëla in Carmen by Bizet; Sophie in The Knight of the Rose by R. Strauss; Mimi in La Boheme and Liu in Turandot by G. Puccini; Sophie in Werther by J. Massenet; Hanna in The Haunted Manor and Neala in Paria by S. Moniuszko; Maria in Mazepa by P. Tschaikovsky; Pamina in The Magic Flute, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Countess in The Marriage of Figaro by W. A. Mozar; Nedda in Pagliacci by R. Leoncavallo; Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann by J. Offenbach; Elvira in The Italian Girl in Algiers by G. Rossini; Xenia in Boris Godunov by M. Musorgsky; Eve in Paradise Lost by K. Penderecki; Oriona in Amadigi and Romilda in Xerxes by G. F. Haendel; Freia in The Rheingold by R. Wagner; Aldona in The Lithuanians by A. Ponchielli.

Mezzo-soprano, Małgorzata Walewska, is one of the most acknowledged Polish opera singers. Born in Poland, she graduated from the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw under the tutelage of Professor Halina Słonicka. In 1992, she was finalist and laureate of many international vocal competitions: Alfredo Kraus in Las Palmas, Luciano Pavarotti in Philadelphia, Belvedere in Vienna and Stanisław Moniuszko in Warsaw.

He is a baritone of the world-wide renown, a graduate of the Academy of Music in Kraków.  He is a laureate of prestigious vocal competitions inter alia in Gütersloch (Neue Stimmen), Vienna (Belvedere), Munich (Grand Prix of the ARD Contest). He performs on the most famous world opera stages incl. in New York (the Metropolitan Opera), Milan (La Scala), Vienna (Wiener Staatsoper), Paris (Opéra Bastille), Brussels (La Monnaie), Amsterdam, Barcelona (Gran Teatre del Liceu), Los Angeles, Houston, Tokyo, Saint Petersburg, Berlin (Komische Oper, Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper), Munich, Hamburg, Leipzig, Cologne, Frankfurt, Zurich, Geneva, Lyon, Verona, and during Glyndebourne and Orange festivals.

Michael Nemeth earned his doctorate in musicology and cultural management from University of Vienna.

A tenor, a painter, a director, regarded as the most outstanding – not only Polish – opera artists. For almost 60 years now his brilliant career has been connected to the greatest opera stages of the world.  Before he made his life choice he graduated from the Faculty of Ceramics of the University of Science and Technology in Cracow (1954-60). While studying, he trained his voice under the tuition of Gustaw Serafin and then under the supervision of professor Maria Szłapak, when he was engaged by the Silesian Opera.

He graduated from the Vocal Faculty of the Academy of Music and from the Silesian University of Technology in Katowice.  He is a valued tenor with significant artistic achievements. He has  been affiliated to the Silesian Opera for over 40 years now.  In 1996 he was awarded the title of “Favourite Singer” by his audience.  His repertoire covers over 50 opera and operetta parts, oratorios and  songs,  including: Nemorin in Love Potion by G. Donizetti,  Alfred in Traviata, Ismael in Nabucco by G. Verdi, Tamin in The Magic Flute, Ferrand in Cosi  fan tutte by W. A. Mozart, Stefan in The Haunted Manor by S. Moniuszko, Shuysky in Boris Godunov by M. Musorgsky, Barinkay in The Gypsy Baron (over 270 performances in four different adaptations!), Eisenstein in The Bat by J. Strauss (over 200 performances), Count Danilo Danilovitsch in The Merry Widow by F. Lehar.

Ukrainian director, screenwriter, culturologist and a folk artist who rendered great service to the arts in Ukraine.  He was the Minister of Culture and Tourism in 2007-2010.  Since 2017 he has been the Artistic and General Director of the National Opera in Lviv.

Wasyl Wowkun has directed and produced over 350 cultural and artistic events: artistic shows, classical operas, religious and professional celebrations, folk actions, national and international contests and festivals, teenage mass actions, alternative concerts, days of Ukrainian culture and arts i.a. in Germany, France, China, Slovakia, Poland, Serbia, Georgia, Azerbaijan.