REGULATIONS

of the 1st International Vocal Competition VIVA CALISIA online 2025

§1. General provisions

  1. These Regulations set out the rules for participation in the 1st International Vocal Competition VIVA CALISIA online 2025, hereinafter referred to as the “Competition.”
  2. The Organizer of the Competition is the Ewa Iżykowska Foundation “ARTE EVA”, with its registered office in Kalisz.
  3. The Competition is international in scope and is intended for opera singers up to 41 years of age.
  4. The Competition will be held in an online format — participants submit video recordings of their performances in accordance with the guidelines specified in these Regulations.
  5. Singers from Poland and other countries may participate in the Competition if they are: pupils of various types of music schools (field: vocal studies), students of music academies, graduates of vocal departments, or soloists of musical theatres, who, as of 1 October 2025, have not reached the age of 38.
  6. The aim of the Competition is to promote young vocal talents, facilitate the exchange of artistic experience, and popularize classical and operatic music.

§2. Categories and conditions of participation

  1. The Competition is open to persons up to 41 years of age (the year of birth determines eligibility).
  2. Participants may apply individually — the Competition does not provide for ensemble categories.
  3. The Competition is divided into the following categories:

Category A — female, 19–28
Category B — male, 19–28
Category C — female, 29–41
Category D — male, 29–41

  1. The entry fee is 500 PLN / 120 EUR. The fee covers participation in the Competition and in the 1st International Conference of Inspiration VIVA CALISIA online and is payable by bank transfer to the Organizer’s account:

Fundacja “ARTE EVA”, Kalisz, ul. Piekarska 5/3

Bank account number: Santander Bank Polska SA 371090 1128 0000 0001 6064 8740

  1. Participants in the Competition (singers and their accompanying pianists) grant the Organizer consent to:
  1. the dissemination of their image in connection with their participation in the Competition, 
  2. the processing of personal data for the purposes of organizing the Competition.
  1. Participants in the Competition (singers and their accompanying pianists), by submitting their application for the competition auditions, transfer to the Organizer, free of charge, the right to use and to dispose of the entirety of their artistic performance in connection with the Competition on all known fields of exploitation.

§3. Application procedure

  1. To take part in the Competition, applicants must complete the application form 
  2. The following must be attached to the application form:
    • video recordings provided as an unlisted (non-public) YouTube link;
    • a short biographical note (max. 300 characters);
    • a current portrait photograph (for promotional purposes);
    • a statement of consent to the processing of the participant’s personal data for the purposes of organizing and conducting the Competition, and to the free use of laureates’ recordings;
    • proof of payment of the entry fee. Application deadline: 16 January 2026.
  1. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

§4. Repertoire

  1. Each participant shall prepare and submit recordings of any operatic aria. The recording shall not exceed 8 minutes. A concert recording is permitted.
  2. Recordings should be accompanied by piano.
  3. Recordings must be made in a single take — editing or montage of image or sound is not permitted, except for basic quality correction.
  4. The recording must be made in one continuous shot, showing the singer’s face and figure.
  5.  Piece (aria) must be performed entirely from memory.
  6. Recordings made during concerts or public performances are permitted, provided that they meet all the requirements set out in these Regulations, in particular those concerning recording quality, completeness of the programme, and compliance with the rules specified in the preceding sections of the Regulations.

§5. Jury

  1. The Jury of the Competition is appointed by the Organizer. The Jury shall consist of recognized conductors, directors of opera houses, vocal pedagogues, and artists of international renown.
  2. The Jury evaluates:
    • vocal qualities (technique, intonation, timbre, diction),
    • interpretation and artistic expression,
    • choice of repertoire and the overall level of presentation. 
  1. The decisions of the Jury are final and binding.

§6. Prizes

  1. The Organizer foresees awarding the following prizes:
  • 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in each vocal category,
  • distinctions (honorable mentions) in each vocal category,
  • special prizes not specified in these Regulations.
  1. The Jury reserves the right to alter the distribution of prizes or to withhold any prize.
  2. Awards ex aequo are not permitted in the Competition. In the event that participants receive an equal number of points, the Jury shall determine the final ranking through an additional evaluation or voting. The Jury’s decision shall be final. In the event of a dispute, the deciding vote shall belong to the Chair of the Jury.
  3. The Jury of the Competition is entitled to decide not to award all prizes provided for in a given category or to modify the distribution of prizes between competition categories, if this results from the scores obtained and the decision taken during the Jury’s deliberations, while maintaining the objectives of the Project and the total value of the prize pool specified in the grant agreement and the Competition Regulations.

§7. Results and publication of recordings

  1. The results of the Competition will be announced during the 1st International Conference of Inspiration VIVA CALISIA online, and will also be published on the Organizer’s website and social media profiles.
  2. Selected participant recordings may be published online on the Organizer’s promotional channels.

§8. Final provisions

  1. Submission of an application constitutes acceptance of these Regulations.
  2. The Organizer reserves the right to make changes to the Competition schedule and the Regulations, with the obligation to inform participants without delay.
  3. Any deviations from the Regulations and any questions regarding their interpretation shall be decided by the Chairman of the Jury.