Preparation for the 20th Lotte Lenya Competition is underway, and it promises to be our biggest year yet! Prize amounts have been increased to $20,000 for 1st Prize, $15,000 for 2nd Prize, and $10,000 for 3rd Prize. A new award, the Kurt Weill Award for $5,000, may be given for outstanding performances of two contrasting selections by Kurt Weill. Additional individual awards range from $500 to $3,500. Total prizes will exceed $75,000!

What’s new for 2017? Find all the information on the newly redesigned Lotte Lenya Competition pages on kwf.org. (All of your old bookmarks and links will still work; the URL’s have not changed.)

To help you prepare, visit the Guidelines page, which includes information on repertoire requirements, how the competition is scored, and tips for preparing your video audition. Under Tips, you’ll find advice direct from past judges and winners, and the expanded Tips for Contestants, now including advice on Crafting a Program. Applicants interested in delving deeper into the Weill canon should view the new Suggested Repertoire list.

The age eligibility has changed from previous years to include a slightly larger pool of performers, aligned with the application and competition dates. The 2017 Competition is open to all singers ages 19-32, born after 23 April 1984 and before 24 January 1998.

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page for more information and answers to questions about applying, repertoire, and the individual audition rounds.

Ready to apply? Applications are due 23 January 2017.