Singing competition Elvirissima 2023

"I don't know whether the founder, Elvira Lüthi-Wegmann, would have liked the competition name "Elvirissima", as she was a particularly petite lady who would hardly have been suited to this form of intensification," SMPV colleague Madeleine Zimmermann recently told me on the phone. My colleagues on the Board of Trustees, Lena-Lisa Wüstendörfer and Professor Bernhard Hunziker, and I certainly hope that Ms. Lüthi-Wegmann would agree with the way in which we use her legacy and how we try to support talented young singers in Switzerland in the best possible way in accordance with her wishes.

When the Federation of Migros Cooperatives quietly discontinued its study scholarship program for singers, instrumentalists, actors and dancers in the middle of the pandemic, when the cultural scene was already struggling with major difficulties, i.e. when it abolished the well-known "Migros Prizes", we quickly realized that our work on the Foundation Board had suddenly become even more important. With the Foundation's modest financial resources, we can only financially support four talents every two years, but we make every effort to offer something to the other candidates too: As external jury members, we always select conductors so that the competition is also an audition for the candidates, and we are delighted that our jurors always engage prizewinners and "empty-nesters". The competition is recorded and the videos can serve as demo videos for the candidates who sang well. And if the performance is not as successful as desired, the singers can see what still needs to be improved.
You can find the Elvirissima 2023 videos at www.youtube.com/@elvirissima5062

Major differences between Elvirissima 2021 and 2023

On Whit Monday 2021, Elvirissima took place under the strictest protection concept without an audience but still live in front of the jury in the large Maihofsaal. Around 50 singers - including those who had long since graduated - had submitted their dossiers and applied to take part in the competition in order to be able to perform again and in the hope that winning a prize would alleviate the difficult financial situation caused by the pandemic. It was not easy for me to turn down more than half of them at the time. - In this respect, it is good news that only 20 candidates have registered for the 2023 competition: there is obviously a lot more work for the young singers again, and they can also travel abroad again for competitions and auditions.

Out of sheer joy at finally being able to audition again, the 2021 candidates tended to sing with too much power. However, it was also noticeable that most of them worked very intensively on expression and that they had time to develop their interpretations. In 2021, for example, the assessment sheets often said "expression" on the plus side and "don't shout" on the "construction site" side. In 2023, I often see "well-controlled voice, albeit a little tight" and "great coloratura" on the plus side and "more expression" or "stylistically not differentiated enough" or "needs to learn to come out of herself more" on the "construction site" side. I conclude from this that the restrictions imposed by the pandemic have not only brought disadvantages for singers in training: Enough time to practise on the instrument, enough time to take a break, clearly also brings advantages. Perhaps the quality could be improved if the universities found a way to award more ETCS points for practicing on the instrument...
But of course nobody wants the pandemic back, and I was very pleased to hear during the feedback sessions that young singers were able to secure a place at an opera studio abroad, what exciting projects await them at home and abroad, that they are invited to auditions and that some of them find work, whether as a soloist or in an opera choir. However, it also became clear how high the costs of audition trips and training and further education are and how important financial support is for them, especially during the smooth transition from student to professional life.

You too can support the young singers in Switzerland

The Board of Trustees of the Elvira Lüthi Wegmann Foundation works on a voluntary basis and invests the foundation's assets extremely carefully, but the interest and dividends cannot be used to finance scholarships. The foundation is therefore a "consumption foundation", i.e. the assets are gradually used up. However, because it is so important to support young artists on their way into the world of music, the Board of Trustees is very happy to receive any donation, large or small, to IBAN CH79 0630 0504 7766 0750 5 (Valiant Bank) - Elvira-Lüthi-Wegmann-Stiftung, 3067 Boll - Note "Donation Elvirissima". If you have any questions, please contact the President of the Board of Trustees, Marianne Wälchli, at wettbewerb@elvirissima.ch

Elvirissima 2023 prizewinners - from left to right: Polina Kulykova, 3rd place; Alice Paroissien, 4th place; Jonas Jud, 2nd place and Evan Gray, 1st place (klangworker.ch)

The 2023 award winners

The Swiss bass-baritone, Evan Gray, (1st prize) impressed the jury with his great voice, his strong presence and his outstanding musicality. The Swiss bass, Jonas Jud (2nd prize), impressed the jury with his resonant true bass voice, his professionalism and his expressiveness. The Ukrainian mezzo-soprano, Polina Kulykova (3rd place), impressed with her presence, dramatic power and big voice, while the French soprano, Alice Paroissien, touched the jury with her naturally sweet expression, soulful pianos and careful coloratura.
The 1st prize is a scholarship of 12 x CHF 800 per month, the runner-up receives 12 x CHF 400 per month. The 3rd prize is CHF 2,000 and the 4th prize is CHF 1,000.