VIKTORIIA BALAN

The Ukrainian soprano Viktoriia Balan graduated in 2020 with a Master’s degree in opera and teaching from the Odesa National Music Academy. She won the 78th “Comunità Europea” Competition in Spoleto (2024), took first prize at the “Spazio Musica” Competition in Orvieto (2024), and second prize at the “Franco Bonisolli” Competition in Rovereto (2025). She has perfected her skills with masters such as Raina Kabaivanska and Daniela Barcellona. In the 2024–2025 seasons, she was an artist at the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto, debuting in the roles of the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth.

The first round combines two arias of great emotional impact: “Pace, pace mio Dio” by Leonora from La forza del destino, a desperate prayer that expresses a longing for peace, and Adriana’s aria from Adriana Lecouvreur, “Io son l’umile ancella,” a manifesto of humility and devotion to her art. The semi-final continues with arias that require excellent vocal and dramatic progression: Leonora’s cavatina from Il trovatore, “Tacea la notte placida,” a moment of lyricism and dreamy reflection, Tosca’s aria, “Vissi d’arte,” in which the protagonist reflects on her destiny in a moment of profound introspection, and Elisabeth’s famous aria from Tannhäuser, “Dich teure Halle,” a hymn to the joy of return.