OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
MARIO DEL MONACO AWARD – 2026 EDITION

Promoted and organized by the Associazione Accademica Internazionale di Alta Formazione Vocale e Artistica Mario del Monaco (Artistic Directorate of the Mario del Monaco International Academy for Advanced Vocal and Artistic Training)
Article 1 – PURPOSE OF THE AWARD
The Mario del Monaco International Academy for Advanced Vocal and Artistic Training hereby announces the Mario del Monaco Award – 2026 Edition, an artistic initiative dedicated to discovering, promoting and supporting young talents and opera artists from Italy and abroad.
The Award aims to encourage the artistic development of Participants by providing opportunities for professional exchange, cultural enrichment, technical improvement and increased visibility before distinguished personalities from the worlds of music and performing arts.
The initiative also seeks to promote the culture of opera by preserving the Italian bel canto tradition and encouraging artistic excellence through a merit-based evaluation process.
Article 2 – DATES AND VENUE
The event will take place on 28, 30 and 31 October 2026, and 1 November 2026, at the Main Hall of the Waldensian Faculty of Theology, Via Pietro Cossa No. 40, Rome, Italy.
On 28 October 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the Masterclass entitled “Vocal Endurance – Control at the Service of Performance” will be held by Maestro Giancarlo Mari, Artistic Vocologist, Estill Master Trainer, Vice President and Faculty Member of the Mario del Monaco Academy.
The Masterclass represents an important opportunity for technical and artistic development, focusing on professional voice management, vocal control, performance preparation and vocal endurance.
The preliminary rounds of the Award will take place on 30 and 31 October 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., unless organizational requirements make schedule adjustments necessary.
The Final Concert and Award Ceremony will be held on 1 November 2026 at 6:00 p.m., at the same venue. Admission will be free of charge until all available seats have been filled.
Article 3 – ELIGIBILITY
The Mario del Monaco Award is open to applicants of all nationalities, with no age limit.
Professional singers, students, emerging artists and performers of every vocal category are eligible to participate.
Participation is open both to artists already active in the professional opera world and to young singers wishing to begin or further develop their artistic and educational careers.
Article 4 – SPECIAL SECTION FOR YOUNG TALENTS:
Marcello del Monaco Award and Rina Filippini del Monaco Award
Should the registered applicants include students at the beginning of their artistic careers, the Organization shall establish a special section entitled the Marcello del Monaco Award and the Rina Filippini del Monaco Award, in memory respectively of Maestro Mario del Monaco’s brother—an esteemed teacher of internationally renowned artists—and of his wife, soprano and respected voice teacher Rina Filippini del Monaco.
Two Scholarships shall be awarded, consisting of an advanced training programme at the Mario del Monaco Academy, available both in person and online for winners residing abroad or otherwise unable to attend the Academy in person.
Participation in this Special Section is reserved for candidates between 18 and 25 years of age, who must expressly apply for the Scholarships when submitting their application.
Failure to request participation in the Scholarship competition at the time of registration shall prevent the Organization from considering the candidate for such awards.
The Scholarships shall be assigned on the basis of the Academy Faculty’s evaluation, taking into consideration the candidate’s technical preparation, musicality, interpretation, artistic expressiveness, stage presence and potential for future artistic development.
Article 5 – APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applications shall be accepted from the date of publication of this Official Announcement.
Applications must be submitted no later than 12:00 midnight (24:00) on 15 October 2026 by sending the required documentation via e-mail to:
After sending the application, candidates must notify the Organization by means of a brief WhatsApp message to:
+39 333 5320384
or through any additional communication channels that may subsequently be announced through the Academy’s official media.
The application fee is €100.00 (one hundred euros).
Payment shall be made by bank transfer to the following account:
IBAN: IT83T0529714801CC1030092802
BIC/SWIFT: BPFRIT3FXXX
Payment Reference:
“Participation Fee – Mario del Monaco Award – 2026 Edition.”
The application fee is non-refundable, except in the event that the competition is cancelled for reasons solely attributable to the Organization.
Article 6 – REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
Each application shall include the following documents:
a) completed and signed application form;
b) copy of a valid identity document or passport;
c) brief artistic résumé (curriculum vitae);
d) a recent photograph;
e) proof of payment of the application fee;
f) list of the three selected opera arias;
g) PDF scores of the selected repertoire.
The scores must be submitted together with the application and, in any event, no later than 15 October 2026.
The Organization reserves the right to request any additional documentation deemed necessary for the proper administration of the application process.
Article 7 – AUDITION PROGRAMME
Each candidate shall present three (3) opera arias, freely selected from the international operatic repertoire.
Each aria must:
be performed entirely from memory;
be sung in its original language;
include the recitative and cabaletta whenever provided in the selected musical edition.
The Jury reserves the right to interrupt any performance once it considers that sufficient elements have been obtained for evaluation purposes.
Participants in the Special Section (Marcello del Monaco Award and Rina Filippini del Monaco Award) may present works of intermediate difficulty, including early Italian arias, chamber songs and similar repertoire freely chosen from the international vocal literature.
Article 8 – EVENT SCHEDULE
The event shall be organized as follows.
Masterclass
On 28 October 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the Masterclass entitled “Vocal Endurance – Control at the Service of Performance” will be conducted by Maestro Giancarlo Mari, Artistic Vocologist, Estill Master Trainer, Vice President and Faculty Member of the Mario del Monaco Academy.
The Masterclass provides an important opportunity to deepen technical and artistic knowledge, with particular focus on vocal technique, professional vocal endurance and performance preparation.
Preliminary Rounds
The preliminary rounds will take place on 30 and 31 October 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., unless organizational requirements make schedule adjustments necessary.
Meetings between the Candidates and the Official Accompanist Pianist will take place before the auditions and, where necessary, exceptionally after 7:00 p.m. on 30 October for performances scheduled for the following day.
On the morning of 1 November 2026, the Finalists will have the opportunity to rehearse with the Official Accompanist Pianist in preparation for the Final Concert.
The Jury shall hear all duly registered Candidates.
Final Concert and Announcement of the Winners
The Candidates admitted to the Final Round, whose names will be announced at the conclusion of the auditions on 31 October 2026, shall perform in the Final Concert to be held on 1 November 2026 at 6:00 p.m., at the Main Hall of the Waldensian Faculty of Theology, Via Pietro Cossa No. 40, Rome.
The concert shall be open to the public, free of charge, subject to seat availability.
During the ceremony, the Winners of the Mario del Monaco Award – 2026 Edition will be officially announced, and the Honor Diploma together with the prizes established by these Regulations will be presented.
Article 9 – CALENDAR
The event schedule is as follows.
28 October 2026
10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Masterclass: “Vocal Endurance – Control at the Service of Performance” conducted by Maestro Giancarlo Mari.
30 and 31 October 2026
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Preliminary Rounds.
3:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Continuation of the Preliminary Rounds.
1 November 2026
Morning: Rehearsals of the Finalists with the Official Accompanist Pianist.
6:00 p.m. Final Concert, Award Ceremony and Announcement of the Winners.
The order in which Candidates will be called shall be communicated after the closing date for applications.
The Organization reserves the right to amend the schedule should organizational requirements or circumstances beyond its control make such changes necessary. Any modifications will be communicated promptly to all Participants.
Article 10 – PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT
The Organization shall provide an Official Accompanist Pianist.
This service is included in the application fee.
Candidates may nevertheless choose to perform with their own accompanist, bearing all related organizational and financial responsibilities.
Article 11 – THE JURY
The Jury shall consist of:
Maestro Cristiana Chiappini (also known as De Sidi), Founder, President, Artistic Director and Faculty Member of the Mario del Monaco International Academy for Advanced Vocal and Artistic Training;
Maestro Giancarlo Mari, Vice President, Artistic Vocologist, Estill Master Trainer and Faculty Member of the Academy;
Gianluca Macovez, music critic and cultural journalist.
The Organization reserves the right to appoint additional Jury Members of recognized artistic, musical or academic distinction.
The Members of the Jury shall carry out their duties with complete autonomy, independence and impartiality.
To ensure the highest level of transparency, any Jury Member who has maintained an educational, professional or continuous artistic relationship with one or more Candidates during the twenty-four (24) months preceding the Award shall declare such circumstance and abstain from evaluating the Candidate concerned.
Such abstention shall be recorded in the official minutes, and the Candidate’s score shall be determined exclusively by the evaluations of the remaining Jury Members.
Such abstention shall not affect the validity of the Jury’s decisions or the final ranking.
The Jury’s decisions shall be final, irrevocable and not subject to appeal.
For any matter not expressly governed by these Regulations or for any issue concerning their interpretation, the final decision shall rest with the President of the Jury.
Article 12 – EVALUATION CRITERIA
Candidates shall be evaluated according to the following criteria:
a) vocal production and vocal setup;
b) vocal technique, sound emission and control;
c) intonation and musical accuracy;
d) diction and linguistic correctness;
e) musical interpretation and stylistic awareness;
f) musicality, artistic sensitivity and expressive ability;
g) stage presence and artistic personality;
h) suitability of the selected repertoire in relation to the Candidate’s vocal characteristics.
The final evaluation shall take into account the Candidate’s overall artistic, interpretative and professional qualities demonstrated throughout the competition.
The Jury shall establish the final ranking exclusively on the basis of artistic merit.
Article 13 – AWARDS
The following prizes shall be awarded:
Mario del Monaco Academy Honor Diploma;
First Prize: €2,000.00;
Second Prize: €1,500.00;
Third Prize: €1,000.00.
In addition, two Scholarships shall be awarded:
Marcello del Monaco Award;
Rina Filippini del Monaco Award.
The Scholarships are intended for Candidates aged between eighteen (18) and twenty-five (25) years who, although still completing their artistic training, demonstrate outstanding talent, technical preparation and exceptional artistic potential.
The Scholarships shall consist of an advanced training programme at the Mario del Monaco Academy, also available online for Winners residing abroad or unable to attend in person.
The Jury reserves the right not to award one or more prizes if the artistic standard of the Candidates is deemed insufficient.
The Jury may also confer Special Mentions or Honorary Awards whenever considered appropriate.
Article 14 – AUDIO, VIDEO RECORDINGS AND IMAGE RIGHTS
By submitting the application form, each Candidate authorizes the Organization to produce audio recordings, video recordings and photographs throughout every stage of the event, including rehearsals, Masterclasses, auditions, concerts and Award Ceremonies.
Such authorization is granted free of charge, without time limitation and without entitlement to compensation, remuneration or royalties.
The recorded material may be used exclusively for the cultural, artistic, institutional, promotional, educational and documentary purposes related to the activities of the Mario del Monaco Academy through any existing or future means of communication.
Article 15 – PERSONAL DATA PROCESSING
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and the applicable Italian legislation, the personal data provided by the Candidates shall be processed exclusively for purposes connected with the organization, management and promotion of the Mario del Monaco Award.
The Data Controller is the Mario del Monaco International Academy for Advanced Vocal and Artistic Training.
Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the principles of lawfulness, fairness, transparency, relevance, data minimization and confidentiality.
By submitting the application, each Candidate declares that they have read the privacy notice and consent to the processing of their personal data within the limits established by the applicable legislation.
Article 16 – FINAL PROVISIONS
Participation in the Mario del Monaco Award implies full and unconditional acceptance of these Official Regulations.
The Organization reserves the right to amend these Regulations whenever necessary for organizational reasons or in the event of force majeure, giving prompt notice to all Participants.
Throughout the entire event, Participants shall conduct themselves with fairness, integrity, mutual respect and cooperation toward the Organization, the Jury, the Faculty Members, the staff, the other Competitors and the public.
Offensive, discriminatory, aggressive, defamatory or otherwise inappropriate conduct incompatible with the proper running of the event shall not be tolerated.
Participants shall also treat with the utmost care all facilities, instruments and equipment made available by the Organization.
The Organization reserves the right to adopt any measure deemed appropriate, including exclusion from the competition, against Participants who violate these Regulations.
For all matters not expressly provided for herein, final authority shall rest with the Artistic Directorate of the Mario del Monaco International Academy for Advanced Vocal and Artistic Training, whose decisions shall be final.