International singing competition Montserrat Caballé

The Montserrat Caballé ­ Principality of Andorra International Singing Competition owes its origins to a proposal presented by Montserrat Caballé to the commune of Sant Julià de Lòria and to Oscar Ribas Reig to create an operatic competition in the Principality of Andorra. On 2 December 1997 an agreement was signed between Montserrat Caballé, the Julià Reig Foundation, as sponsor of the first five competitions, and the commune of Sant Julià de Lòria.

The aims set by the five-year agreement (1999-2003) are, on the one hand, to promote young opera singers through an international competition to be held in the village of Sant Julià de Lòria and, on the other, to make Sant Julià-and through it, the Principality of Andorra-better known abroad.

The competition has an honorary presidency, assumed by the co-princes of Andorra, and a committee of honour, made up of representatives of various political bodies, as well as of other musical events and ensembles, as well as other leading figures from around the world. Its director is Dr. Albin Hänseroth, general and artistic director of the Kölner Philarmonie concert-hall in Cologne, Germany.

The prizes awarded have two aspects: one financial and the other more strictly musical, with participation in other competitions and in concerts, thus giving the competition the added value of serving as a professional spring-board for the competitors.

The master classes given by Montserrat Caballé take place immediately after the competition. In recent years the sopranos Iliana Cotrubas and Mady Mesplé have also taken part in the teaching.