Gallura hosts the world's leading opera stars: the Bernardo De Muro International Opera Competition brings the world's top opera talents to Sardinia. Named after the great tenor from Tempio Pausania, the competition, scheduled for May 26-29 between Porto Cervo and Tempio Pausania, was created with the goal of transforming the island into a hub for the training, promotion, and development of young opera singers, creating a direct link between the region and the world's leading opera institutions.
The 2026 edition of one of the most prestigious projects in the cultural programming of the Bernardo De Muro ETS Foundation will consist of several selection phases, including preliminary rounds, semifinals, and a public final. The competition is one of the official activities of the Bernardo De Muro Festival and offers participants concrete opportunities for artistic and professional growth through direct contact with some of the most important figures in the international opera scene. The competition will allow participants to perform in front of some of the most influential professionals in the field.
Chaired by Sebastian Schwarz, head of the singing companies at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the jury will be composed of Robert Körner (Director of Casting, Staatsoper Wien), Jonathan Friend (Artistic Advisor Irish National Opera, Dublin; Casting Consultant the Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm and Houston Grand Opera), Tobias Hasan (Artistic Director, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin), Eytan Pessen (Musical Consultant and vocal coach at the Volksoper in Vienna), Peter Katona (Director of Casting, The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London), Gianluca Macheda (Director and General Manager, GM Art & Music) and Roberto Mauro (Artistic Director, Canadian Opera Company).
Prestigious professional opportunities and significant financial prizes are up for grabs (€8,000 for 1st Prize, €5,000 for 2nd Prize, €3,000 for 3rd Prize, and €4,000 for Special Prizes). Among the most prestigious awards is the Critics' Award, organized in collaboration with the National Association of Music Critics.
The first two days of the event, dedicated to the selection phases and preliminary rounds, will take place at the Conference Center in Porto Cervo, while the grand finale of the 2026 Bernardo De Muro International Opera Competition will be held on May 29 (7 pm) at the Teatro del Carmine in Tempio Pausania with the finalists' Gala Concert and the announcement of the winners.
The initiative is promoted by the Bernardo De Muro ETS Foundation in collaboration with the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the municipalities of Tempio Pausania, Arzachena, and Santa Teresa.
