The Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Greek National Opera, announces the second Lyric Singing Competition, offering two scholarships for advanced studies (in opera) at Bachelor’s or Master’s level, at recognised music institutions abroad, for the academic year 2026-2027. The scholarships were established in 2023 in memory of Elizabeth Hatzivassiliou and Frantzeska Beza, two young singers who lost their lives in the tragic accident in Tempi. The scholarships are awarded every two years.

On the occasion of the announcement, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated:
“With these scholarships, in memory of Elizabeth Hatzivassiliou and Frantzeska Beza, the Ministry of Culture is actively supporting the new generation of opera artists, backing their systematic artistic development. In collaboration with the Greek National Opera, which is responsible for selecting the scholarship recipients and monitoring their studies, the meritocracy and quality of the institution are ensured. These scholarships fill a significant gap in the field of opera education, enabling young opera singers who do not have the necessary financial support to pursue advanced studies abroad. In this way, the voices of two young singers, who fell silent so prematurely, continue to give voice to the new generation of Greek opera singers and transform memory into creation.”

The competition is open to candidates up to 28 years of age, of all voice categories, who hold a diploma from a recognized conservatory or are graduates of music departments of Greek universities or equivalent institutions in and have already been accepted to a music school abroad but are unable to adequately cover the cost of their studies. The scholarships are awarded to the two (2) candidates who receive the highest evaluation. All voice categories are accepted. The evaluation is carried out by a five-member Scholarship Committee of the Greek National Opera, based on artistic and technical criteria.

The Lyric Singing Competition is conducted in two phases:

Stage 1: Online submission of the Application Form to the Protocol Department of the Greek National Opera ([email protected]) from April 14 to April 22, 2026 (until 2:00 p.m.), and

The results of Stage I will be communicated individually to all candidates by May 22, 2026, and the protocol numbers of the applications that qualify for Phase B will be announced on the official website of the Greek National Opera.

Stage II: Live audition at the Greek National Opera premises at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, on dates to be announced to candidates in due course.

The scholarship is awarded exclusively for full-time studies. Applications for part-time or distance learning studies will not be accepted, and the scholarship cannot be deferred to another academic year.

More Information here.