2026 Lotte Lenya Competition

The Lotte Lenya Competition, the one-of-kind contest for singer/actors across the entire lyric theater spectrum, returns for its 28th year! Open to performers of all nationalities born between 1 January 1993 and 1 March 2007 (c. 19–32), the Lenya Competition offers a top prize of $25,000, with additional prizes awarded after each of the preliminary, semifinal, and final rounds.

Each contestant performs a four program consisting of:

1) a piece by Kurt Weill,

2) an opera or operetta aria,

3) a pre-1968 musical theater selection, and

4) a selection from a musical written in or after 1968.

"This competition is unparalleled in the crossover world between opera and musical theater. Any aspiring artist who wishes to pursue a career in either or both arenas should enter!" -Victoria Clark, Tony Award-winning actress and five-time Lenya Competition judge

For further information, guidelines, and application form, please see https://www.kwf.org/lotte-lenya-competition/2026-competition/