Competition 2026
8th International Haydn Competition for Classical Lied and Aria
May 22 – 24, 2026, ROHRAU (Lower Austria)
Ladies and Gentlemen! Dear Singers and Artists!
From May 22 – 24, 2026 Haydnregion Niederösterreich invites young artists to join the International Haydn Competition for Classical Lied and Aria. For the eighth time already, singers are asked to present their talents to an international Jury in the birthplace of Joseph and Michael Haydn in Rohrau, Austria. The competition is aimed at young singers worldwide with particular talents and training in the areas of Lied and opera and focuses on the era of Wiener Klassik (Vienna Classical era). Further information on the competition as well as the online application are available for download.
Competition Regulations
Age Limit
Jury
Repertoire
Period and Sequence
Prizes
Rehearsal Rooms, Documentation & Piano Accompaniment
Registration
Venues & Competition Office
Downloads
Age Limit
Age limit: Singers born after January 1, 1993.
Minimum age: Singers born before January 1, 2007.
Repeat participation is permitted once, provided the age limit has not been exceeded. Prize winners from previous competition years are ineligible to participate again.
Jury
UNIV. PROF. KS ANGELIKA KIRCHSCHLAGER, Head of Jury
AMMIEL BUSHAKEVITZ, Pianist and Lied expert
JEAN DENES, Theater Basel – Director Opera & Casting
KS ADRIAN ERÖD, Opernstudio der Wiener Staatsoper – Artistic Director
SAMANTHA FARBER, Sonoartists Wien – Managing Director
DR. MICHAEL LINSBAUER, Haydnregion Niederösterreich and Serenadenkonzerte des Landes Niederösterreich – Artistic Director
DAMIÀ CARBONELL NICOLAU, Dutch National Opera Amsterdam – Head of Artistic Affairs
DANIELA SPERING, Career and performance coach (Cologne)
Repertoire
At least seven Lieder and at least five arias must be prepared for the competition. The selection of repertory lies within the responsibility of the participant. The pieces are to be performed by heart and in the original language. Participants must submit a binding repertoire list along with their registration. Subsequent changes are not possible.
Lieder:
a choice of seven Lieder from the following composers:
Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn*, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven or Ignaz Joseph Pleyel**.
Arias:
a choice of five arias from the following composers:
Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Ignaz Joseph Pleyel or Christoph Willibald Gluck.
*) The sheet music of songs by Michael Haydn can be requested and sent by
**) The sheet music of songs by Ignaz Joseph Pleyel can be downloaded here.
Timing and procedure
| 1st Round, Schloss Rohrau | Friday, May 22, 2026, 10 am |
| 2nd Round, Haydn Geburtshaus | Saturday, May 23, 2026,10 am |
| Final Round, open to public, Schloss Rohrau | Sunday, May 24, 2026, 6 pm |
Evaluation of Competition Participants
In rounds 1 and 2, the jury will evaluate the participants using a points system from one to five in the categories of "Vocal Technique" and "Interpretation." In the final round, the jury will rank the participants from 1st to 6th place. They will also award a recommendation for the best song interpretation and the best aria interpretation.
Students of jury members or singers whose agency is represented on the jury may not be evaluated by those jury members. The decisions of the jury and the organizer are binding, final, and not subject to appeal. Legal recourse is excluded.
Round 1, May 22 - Schloss Rohrau
The jury requests a musical performance of both songs and arias from the submitted repertoire list, with a total duration of 10 minutes. The selection of the songs to be performed—including at least one work by Joseph or Michael Haydn—is at the jury's discretion. Please note that you must include at least one aria and one song within the allotted time. The results of the first round will be announced to the participants on the same day during the barbecue at Haydn Geburtshaus Rohrau, or by email upon request.
Round 2, May 23 - Haydn Geburtshaus Rohrau
The jury requests a musical performance of both songs and arias from the submitted repertoire list, with a total duration of 10 minutes. The selection of the songs to be performed—at least one of which must be by Joseph or Michael Haydn—is at the jury's discretion. Works from the first round may not be repeated. Please note that you must include at least one aria and one song within the allotted time. The results of the second round will be announced no later than 5:00 p.m. The jury will request a musical performance of both songs and arias from the submitted repertoire list, with a total duration of 10 minutes.
Final Round, open to public, May 24 - Schloss Rohrau
Part 1:
The jury requests a musical performance of one or more songs, approximately 7 minutes in length, from the submitted repertoire list. The order of the works selected for the final round is at the discretion of the participant and must be declared upon registration. No songs from the first or second round may be repeated.
Intermission
Part 2:
The jury requests a musical performance of one or more arias by Joseph or Michael Haydn, approximately 7 minutes in length, from the submitted repertoire list. The order of the works selected for the final round is at the discretion of the participant and must be declared upon registration. No works from the first or second round may be repeated in the final.
Intermission
Awards Ceremony
Guidelines for the presentation of works
The jury reserves the right to interrupt, repeat, or request participants to perform an additional piece from the repertoire list for the respective round during the first and second rounds. Performances in the final round will not be interrupted; however, the time limit of a maximum of 7 minutes HAVE TO be strictly adhered to!
Sequences of performances of the participants
The order of performances for participants in the first round will be determined by a draw conducted by the competition management one week prior to the first round and communicated to the participants via email.
The order of performances for participants in the second round will be determined by the jury during their deliberations following the first round and communicated promptly.
The order of performances for participants at the final concert is at the discretion of the jury and the competition management and will be announced shortly thereafter.
Awards
Rehearsal Rooms, Documentation & Piano Accompaniment
Rehearsal rooms
All participants can use rehearsal rooms that are available at the venue of the competition. Detailed information on the rehearsal schedule and their allocation will be given at the registration on site.
Audio and video documentation
Audio and video recordings as well as photographs may be taken at all times of the competition. With their registration all participants agree not to raise any legal claims when this media is used for PR purposes during or after the competition, given the use does not serve any commercial purpose
Piano accompaniment
Participants can decided to be accompanied either by their own accompanist or by a member of our team of pianists. A short rehearsal with the accompanist is set for every day of the competition. The repetition with a pianist of our team is free of charge! Time and venue of rehearsals will be announced at the registration office on site.
Registration / Application
Online application
Application is possible only via the website from January 1st until April 26th, 2026.
Candidates must submit the following:
- scan of the completed and signed registration document
- artistic CV
- copy of birth certificate or identification document (ID)
- two photos in high resolution (300 dpi, 1MB size) – name the photo file with the artist's name
- competition repertoire list
- 2 – 3 live recordings via weblink
Final Registration Date: April 26th, 2026
Registration Fee: € 55, the registration fee of € 55 is will not be reimbursed, even if the applicant is not admitted to the first round.
Bank details: Römerland Carnuntum,
Fischamenderstr. 12/3, 2460 Bruck/Leitha
IBAN: AT44 5300 0081 5500 4003
BIC: HYPNATWW
MUST BE STATED! Reference: Haydn Competition 2026 & Surname
Final Date for arrival of fee: May 1st, 2026
The preselection for participation in the competition will be done by the head of jury KS Angelika Kirchschlager and the Artistic Director of the Haydnregion NÖ, Dr. Michael Linsbauer based on the submitted documents. A notification of participation will be sent via e-mail by May 3rd, 2026.
With the submission of their documents, participants agree that their personal data may be passed on to the competition organizers and committee and that their artistic CV and photo will be printed in the competition brochure.
By submitting the signed and dated application form, participants confirm that they have read and accept the conditions of the competition.
Venues and contact:
Registration, Rehearsals, 1st and final round with award ceremony
SCHLOSS ROHRAU
Schloss 1 | A-2471 Rohrau
www.schloss-rohrau.at
2nd round and Barbecue
HAYDN-GEBURTSHAUS ROHRAU (House of Haydn's Birth)
Obere Hauptstraße 25 | A-2471 Rohrau
www.haydngeburtshaus.at
Competition office
HAYDNREGION NIEDERÖSTERREICH
c/o Haydn-Geburtshaus Rohrau
Obere Hauptstraße 25 | A-2471 Rohrau
competition@haydnregion-noe.at
www.haydncompetition.com
Getting there and away:
Information on transport and accommodation is available on the website www.haydncompetion.com. Arrangements and costs of journey as well as accommodation are the participants’ own responsibility.
Downloads
Competition Regulations
Registration Form
Hotels & Accomodation in the Haydnregion Niederösterreich
Folder
Poster
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