Lotte Lenya Competition

Press release for 2008 Competition finals

In 1998, on the occasion of the centenary of Lotte Lenya (1898-1981), the foremost interpreter of the music of her husband, Kurt Weill (1900-1950), the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music established an annual Lotte Lenya Competition. The competition was established to recognize versatile young artists who are dramatically and musically convincing in contrasting modes of theater music by Kurt Weill and other composers.

Prizewinners from the first decade of annual Lenya Competitions continue to make their mark on major stages. Elaine Alvarez (2003 prizewinner) made a critically acclaimed October 2007 debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago, portraying Mimì in La bohème. Erik Liberman (2005), most recently seen in LoveMusik on Broadway, starred in the fall 2007 revival of Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along at the distinguished Signature Theatre outside Washington, D.C. Amy Justman's (2004) performance as Susan in the Broadway revival of Company has been broadcast across the United States on PBS. UPDATES ON LENYA COMPETITION WINNERS.

2008 Guidelines
Application Form (PDF)
Suggested Weill Repertoire
Tips for Contestants
Previous Winners

©2007 The Kurt Weill Foundation.