On October 19, Balaguer hosted the final phase of the 12th Germans Pla – Ciutat de Balaguer International Singing Competition, an event that has become an essential event in the Catalan lyrical scene.
The jury, with Xavier Sumalla as secretary, was made up of Albert Castells, Montserrat Cots, Marta Matheu, Pedro Pardo, Mireia Pintó and Jordi Torrents, and awarded the First Prize to Milly Forrest, who will be able to tour within the Xarxa de Músiques de Joventuts Musicals de Catalunya.
The Second Prize was shared between Júlia Arquillo and Nadia Akaarir, while the Third Prize went to Marta Esteban Farrera, who has also been distinguished with the Victoria dels Àngels Foundation Special Prize and the FEMAP Prize, which will allow her to perform at the Pyrenees Early Music Festival.
Among other special awards, Júlia Arquillo received the Fundació Òpera Catalunya Award, and Sara Bermúdez and Maria Patak were awarded the Amics de l’Òpera de Lleida Award. The Audience Award went to Nadia Akaarir.
The competition, organised by the Associació Cultural Grup d’Art 4 de Balaguer with the support of the Paeria de Balaguer, the Diputació de Lleida, the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya and Joventuts Musicals de Catalunya, brought together 23 participants from Germany, Spain, England, Norway and Russia.
After the semi-final on Saturday 18, the grand final on Sunday once again filled the Teatre Municipal de Balaguer, offering an evening full of talent and musical sensitivity.
With this twelfth edition, the Germans Pla Competition reaffirms its desire to support young talents in lyrical singing and to promote classical music from Balaguer, while paying tribute to the musicians Josep, Joan Baptista and Manuel Pla, prominent figures of the 18th century with Balaguer roots.
With more than 7,000 euros in prizes, the competition is consolidated as a cultural and musical reference in the lands of Ponent and as a platform that promotes new generations of lyrical singers.
