This Sunday, October 19, Balaguer hosted the final of the 12th edition of the Germans Pla – Ciutat de Balaguer International Lyric Singing Competition, which has established itself as one of the most important lyric singing events in Lleida and Catalonia.

The jury, composed of Albert Castells, Montserrat Cots, Marta Mathéu, Pedro Pardo, Mireia Pintó, Jordi Torrents, and Xavier Sumalla as secretary, awarded first prize to soprano Milly Forrest. This award includes a tour with the Network of Musicians of Musical Youth of Catalonia.

Second prize was awarded ex-aequo to Julia Arquillo and Nadia Akaarir, and third prize went to Marta Esteban, who also received the special prize from the Victoria de los Ángeles Foundation and the FEMAP award, which will allow her to perform at the Pyrenees Early Music Festival.

Other special recognitions went to Sara Bermúdez and Maria Patak, who shared the special Friends of Opera in Lleida award; Júlia Arquillo, who won the Opera in Catalonia Foundation award; and Nadia Akaarir, who won the audience award at Sunday’s concert.

The competition, organized by the Grup D’Art 4 de Balaguer cultural association with the sponsorship of the Balaguer Paeria, the Institute of Lleida Studies, the Lleida Provincial Council, the Noguera Regional Council, and in collaboration with the Musical Youth of Catalonia, the Victoria del Àngels Foundation, Friends of Opera in Lleida, the Opera in Catalonia Foundation, and FEMAP, featured contestants from Germany, England, Russia, Ukraine, Norway, and Spain. It is the only opera singing competition in the Lleida region.

Following a semifinal with 23 contestants on Saturday the 18th and the final round on Sunday morning the 19th, the nine finalists offered a high-level musical evening at the Balaguer Municipal Theater in the afternoon, culminating in the award ceremony.

With this twelfth edition, the Concurs Germans Pla – Ciutat de Balaguer reaffirms its commitment to fostering the careers of young lyric singing talents and promoting classical music from Balaguer, paying tribute to the figures of the brothers Josep, Joan Baptista, and Manel Pla, 18th-century musicians with Balaguerian roots.

This competition continues to consolidate itself as a cultural and musical landmark in Ponent and a space of opportunity for young lyric singers.