The Jury of the VI Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition has selected eight singers for the Final. The winners will be decided at the Finnish National Opera at 18.00 on August 12, when the finalists will be accompanied by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leif Segerstam. After the competition performances, the best competitors in the women's and men's categories will receive their prizes and a further prize will be awarded for the best performance by a non-Finnish singer of a Finnish song. The total value of the prizes is €143,000.
A prize-winners' concert will be held at the Madetoja Hall in Oulu at 19.00 on August 14, accompanied by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leif Segerstam. Tickets for the prize-winners' concert are on sale at Lippupiste.
The names of the finalists are, in order of performance
David DQ Lee, countertenor, Canadian
Yulia Lezhneva, soprano, Russian
Timothy Mix, baritone, American
Nadine Sierra, soprano, American
Kihwan Sim, bass, Korean
Azamat Zheltyrguzov, baritone, Kazakh
Kishani Jayasinghe, soprano, Sri Lankan
Keunghea Kang, soprano, Korean
Two works with orchestral accompaniment to be heard in the Final
The repertoire for the Final consists of two works with orchestral accompaniment, of which at least one must be an opera, oratorio, cantata or concert aria. Together they must last not more than 20 minutes.
Final live on radio and TV
The Final on August 12 will be broadcast live on Radio 1 beginning at 19.03. The Final beginning at 18.00 and the prize-giving ceremony at 21.45 will be televised live on YLE Teema. They can also be heard and seen live on radio and television at YLE Areena.
Taking part in the VI Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition are 49 young singers. The Preliminary Round on August 3-8 will be followed by the Semifinals on August 8-9 and the Final on August 12. The Mirjam Helin Competition is one of the world's leading singing competitions. Famous for its high standard, demanding repertoire and prestigious Jury, it is organised by the Finnish Cultural Foundation once every five years.
Further info
Marja-Leena Pétas, Executive Secretary
tel. +358 9 6128 1248, 050 501 4026
mp@mirjamhelin.fi
www.mirjamhelin.fi
Communications Officer
Raija Kaljunen
tel. +358 9 6128 1246, 050 340 8048
raija.kaljunen@mirjamhelin.fi