Wigmore Hall announced the prize winners of the 2024 Wigmore Hall/Bollinger International Song Competition following the final round on Wednesday 11 September. The winner of the £10,000 First Prize is 20-year-old mezzo-soprano Anja Mittermüller, this year’s youngest contestant, and the youngest winning singer in the Competition’s history. The Austrian mezzo-soprano is currently studying at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.

Tenor Santiago Sánchez from Uruguay received the £5,000 Second Prize and New Zealand baritone Jonathan Eyers received the £2,000 Third Prize. A Pianist’s Prize of £5,000 and five further prizes were also awarded. The announcement comes ahead of the opening of Wigmore Hall’s 2024/25 season on Thursday 12 September.

2024 Prize Winners:

• 1st Prize (£10,000): Anja Mittermüller (mezzo-soprano), 20, Austria
• 2nd Prize (£5,000): Santiago Sánchez (tenor), 32, Uruguay
• 3rd Prize (£2,000): Jonathan Eyers (baritone), 29, New Zealand
• Pianist’s Prize (£5,000): Jong Sun Woo, 32, South Korea
• Special Finalist Prize: Mathilde Orscheidt (mezzo-soprano), 33, France
• Specialist Prizes:
  • Jean Meikle Prize for a Duo (£5,000): Clara Barbier Serrano (soprano), 27, France
    and pianist Joanna Kacperek, 30, Poland
  • Richard Tauber Prize for Best Interpretation of Schubert Lieder (£3,000): Michael Ronan (bass-baritone), 31, United Kingdom
  • Vaughan Williams Society Prize (£2,000): Joël Terrin (tenor), 29, Switzerland
  • Britten Pears Young Artist Programme Prize (Participation in a week-long masterclass at Snape Maltings, Suffolk): Hanne Marit Mordal Iversen (soprano), 26, Norway
    and pianist Revaz Abramia, 24, Georgia

Established in 1997, the biennial Wigmore Hall / Bollinger International Song Competition attracts talented singers and pianists from around the globe, aged 33 or under, who aspire to build significant recital careers. The Competition honours the song tradition in its entirety, requiring contestants to perform in at least three languages, while celebrating the German Lied's unique place at the heart of the song repertoire. John Gilhooly, Director of Wigmore Hall and Chairman of the Competition Jury, said:

This year’s Competition has been a remarkable showcase of young talent, highlighting the passion and dedication a new generation of artists is bringing to the song and Lieder tradition. I extend my warmest congratulations to our winners and deepest gratitude to our jury whose invaluable expertise and wisdom benefits all the contestants. We are sincerely grateful to William and Judith Bollinger, whose generous support makes this celebration of song possible.

A distinguished jury of leading artists and industry specialists presided over each round and selected the winners for each prize. Chaired by John Gilhooly, it included sopranos Roberta Alexander and Dame Felicity Lott, mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink, baritone Olaf Bär, David Jackson, Artistic Director of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, and pianists Graham Johnson and James Baillieu, winner of the Pianist’s Prize in the 2008 Wigmore International Song Competition.

Header image: Anja Mittermüller, winner of the 2024 Wigmore Hall/Bollinger International Song Competition © Benjamin Ealovega