2025 Competition rules
All competitors that complete an application must agree to comply with our competition rules. If you have any queries about any of our rules, please feel free to get in touch and we will be happy to clarify anything.
2025 Competition rules
All competitors that complete an application must agree to comply with our competition rules. If you have any queries about any of our rules, please feel free to get in touch and we will be happy to clarify anything.
The Rules
1. The Competition is open to all singers from 20 to 32 years. Age to be taken as of 1st January 2025.
2. There is a non-refundable application fee of €100 payable online as part of the application form. This fee is only refundable upon cancellation of the competition.
3. Repertoire for live auditions / video link: Two contrasting arias of own choice, not to exceed 10 minutes. These arias can be repeated in the Competition itself, should the competitor be successful in being accepted. The video applications must have been made within one year of the date submitted and this must be verified by a timestamp on the video.
4. Competition Rounds
Preliminary Round: Competitors to sing 2 contrasting operatic arias, not to exceed 10 minutes in total.
Quarter-final: Competitors to sing another 2 contrasting operatic arias, in 2 different languages, not to exceed 15 minutes in total.
Semi-final: Competitors to sing a programme, not to exceed 20 minutes, to include at least 2 operatic arias. The remainder of the programme is at the discretion of the competitor and can include other operatic arias, oratorio arias or songs.
Final: Competitors to sing a programme of three operatic arias with orchestra – not to exceed 16 minutes in total. You must choose at least two arias that you have NOT performed in a previous round, while one can be a repetition from a previous round. Competitors must select this 16 minute programme from the list of repertoire found on the following pages.
These time limits must be strictly adhered to or there will a penalty applied.
5. All arias and songs must be performed from memory and in the original language. Arias must be sung in the original key. Scores are permitted for oratorio arias. No duplication of arias or songs is permitted in the submitted programmes, with the exception of the Final.
6. All competitors must provide one copy of their music for the accompanist.
7. Strict adherence to time limits must be observed.
8. The order of the performances will be determined by ballot.
9. Competitors who are not available to perform when called upon to do so by the Jury may be disqualified.
10. The decisions of the Jury are final and beyond appeal. The Jury may award or withhold any prize as deemed fit.
11. The First Prize cannot be tied.
12. The winner of the Competition contracts to perform at a concert organised by the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition within 2 years of the Final.
13. The first prize of the Competition is €10,000, plus a separate prize of €2,000 in respect of the performance by the winner at a VDISC engagement in the future as detailed above.
14. Rights to any Competition performance, whether broadcast, televised, recorded or filmed, belong to the Competition. No fee is payable on account of these performances or any recordings, broadcasts, transmissions or film.
15. Official accompanists will be available and rehearsal times will be arranged with them. Competitors may bring their own accompanist if they wish.
16. Twenty-four (24) Competitors will be admitted to the Quarter Final. Twelve (12) Competitors will be admitted to the Semi-Final. Six (6) Competitors will be admitted to the Final.
COMPETITION RULES
Download a PDF of our 2025 Rules and Repertoire List for the Final.
Repertoire list for the 2025 Final
Competitors are to select three choices from our repertoire list for the Final.
Soprano repertoire
Adams “Madame Mao”, Nixon in China
Balfe “I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls”, The Bohemian Girl
Beethoven “O wär ich schon mit dir vereint”, Fidelio
Beethoven “Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?”, Fidelio
Bellini “Eccomi in lieta vesta”, I Capuletti e I Montecchi
Bellini “Qui la voce”, I Puritani
Bellini “Col sorrizo d’innocenza”, Il Pirata
Bellini “Ah non credea… Ah non giunge”, La sonnambula
Bellini “Care compagne…come per me sereno”, La sonnambula
Berg “Wenn sich die Menschen”, Lulu
Bizet “Je dis, que ne rien”, Carmen
Britten “How beautiful it is”, The Turn of the Screw
Catalani “Ebben, n’andrò lontana”, La Wally
Charpentier “Depuis le jour”, Louise
Delibes “Ou va la jeune Hindoue”, Lakmè
Donizetti “Scene ed Aria finale”, Anna Bolena
Donizetti “Quel guardo il cavaliere… So arch’io la virtu magica”, Don Pasquale
Donizetti “Prendi, per me sei libero”, L’Elisir d’Amore
Donizetti “O Luce di quest anima”, Linda di Chamoumix
Donizetti “Regnava nel silenzio”, Lucia di Lammermoor
Donizetti “Il dolce suono mi colpì di sua voce (Mad scene)”, Lucia di Lammermoor
Dvorak “Mesícku na nei hlubokém”, Rusalka
Gluck “Divinités du Styx”, Alceste
Gluck “Che fiero momento”, Orfeo ed Euridice
Gluck “O del mio dolce ardor”, Paride ed Elena
Gounod “Ah! Je ris de me voir”, Faust
Gounod “Ah! Je veux vivre (in F)”, Romeo et Juliette
Gounod “Ah! Je veux vivre (in G)”, Romeo et Juliette
Gounod “Amour ranime mon courage”, Romeo et Juliette
Handel “Tornami a vagheggiar”, Alcina
Handel “Care selve, Atalanta”, Ariodante
Handel “Piangerò la sorte mia”, Giulio Cesare
Handel “Da tempesta”, Giulio Cesare
Handel “V’adoro pupille”, Giulio Cesare
Leoncavallo “Qual fiamma avea nel guardo! Stridono lassù”, Pagliacci
Massenet “Il est doux, il est bon”, Hérodiade
Massenet “Adieu, notre petite table”, Manon
Massenet “Je suis encore tout etourdie”, Manon
Massenet “Obeissons quand leur voix appelle”, Manon
Massenet “Frère voyez!”, Werther
Mozart “Temerari…Come scoglio”, Cosi Fan Tutte
Mozart “Ei parte … Per pietà”, Cosi fan Tutte
Mozart “Una donna a quindic’anni”, Cosi fan Tutte
Mozart “In uomini, in soldati”, Cosi fan Tutte
Mozart “Smanie implcabili”, Cosi Fan Tutte
Mozart “Bester Jüngling”, Der Schauspieldirektor
Mozart “Ach! Ich liebte”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Martern aller Arten”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Durch Zärtlichkeit und Schmeicheln”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Welcher Kummer … Traurigkeit”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Welche Wonne, welche Lust”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Ach, ich fühl’s”, Die Zauberflöte
Mozart “Der Hölle Rache”, Die Zauberflöte
Mozart “O zittre nicht”, Die Zauberflöte
Mozart “Crudele… Non mir dir”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Or sai che l’onore”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “In quali eccesi… mi tradì quell’ alma ingrata”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Ah, fuggi il traditor”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Padre Germani, addio!”, Idomeneo
Mozart “D’Oreste d’Ajace”, Idomeneo
Mozart “S’altro che lacrime”, La Clemenza di Tito
Mozart “Porgi amor”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Giunse alfin il momento… deh vieni non tardar”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Porgi Amor”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Dove sono i bei momenti”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Tiger!… Wetze nur die Klauen”, Zaide
Offenbach “Elle a fui, la tourterelle”, The Tales of Hoffman
Offenbach “Les oiseaux dans la charmille”, The Tales of Hoffman
Puccini “Donde lietà usci”, La Bohème
Puccini “Mi chiamano Mimi”, La Bohème
Puccini “Quando m’en vo’”, La Bohème
Puccini “In quelle trine morbide”, Manon Lescaut
Puccini “Vissi d’arte”, Tosca
Puccini “Signore, ascolta”, Turandot
Puccini “Tu, che di gel sei cinta”, Turandot
Puccini “O mio babbino caro”, Gianni Schicchi
Puccini “Che’il bel sogno di Doretta”, La Rondine
Puccini “Un bel di”, Madama Butterfly
Rossini “Ah donato il caro sposa ( Sofie)”, Il signor Bruschino
Rossini “En proie a la tristesse”, Le Comte Ory
Rossini “Una voce poco fa”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Tchaikovsky “Tatiana’s letter scene Puskaj pagibnu ja”, Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky “Lisa’s scene and aria: Utzh polnochblizitsya/ twill soon be midnight now”, Pique Dame
Thomas “A vos jeux, mes amis (mad scene)(Ophelia)”, Hamlet
Thomas “Ou, pour ce soir… Je suis Titania!”, Mignon
Verdi “Ritorna vincitor”, Aida
Verdi “Qui Radames verrà … O cieli azzurri”, Aida
Verdi “Morrò, ma prima in grazia”, Il ballo in Maschera
Verdi “Tu che le vanità”, Don Carlo
Verdi “Ernani Involami”, Ernani
Verdi “Erriam sotto la luna”, Falstaff
Verdi “Mercè dillette amiche”, I Vespri Siciliani
Verdi “Leonora’s Aria: Tacea la notte”, Il Trovatore
Verdi “D’amor sull’ali”, Il Trovatore
Verdi “Scena, Aria e Miserere”, Il Trovatore
Verdi “Pace, pace, mio Dio”, La forza del destino
Verdi “È strano… ah, fors’é lui … sempre libera”, La Traviata
Verdi “Una macchia è qui tutt’ora”, Macbeth
Verdi “Gualtier Maldè… Caro nome”, Rigoletto
Verdi “Come in quest’ora bruna”, Simon Boccanegra
Verdi “Volta la terrea”, Un Ballo in Maschera
Verdi “Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa”, Un Ballo in Maschera
Wagner “Der Männer Sippe” Die Walküre
Wagner “Elsa’s Dream”, Lohengrin
Wagner “Dich, teure Halle”, Tannhauser
Weber “Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen”, Der Freischütz
Weber “Leise, leise, fromme Weise”, Der Freischütz
Mezzo-soprano & Contralto repertoire
Bizet “Les tringles des sistres tintient”, Carmen
Bizet “Seguidille”, Carmen
Bizet “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle”, Carmen
Donizetti “O mio Fernando”, La Favorita
Gluck “Che farò senza Euridice?”, Orfeo ed Euridice
Gounod “Faites-lui mes aveux”, Faust
Gounod “Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle”, Romeo et Juliette
Handel “Verdi prati”, Alcina
Handel “Dopo notte”, Ariodante
Handel “Scherza infida”, Ariodante
Handel “Cara speme”, Giulio Cesare
Handel “Svegliatevi nel core”, Giulio Cesare
Handel “Stille amare”, Tolomeo
Massenet “Letter Scene: Werther, Werther”, Werther
Massenet “Va! Laisse couler mes larmes”, Werther
Meyerbeer “Nobles seigneurs, salut!”, Les Huguenots
Mozart “Smanie implcabili”, Cosi Fan Tutte
Mozart “Il padre adorato”, Idomeneo
Mozart “Deh per questo istante solo”, La Clemenza di Tito
Mozart “Parto, Parto ma tu, ben mio”, La Clemenza di Tito
Mozart “Voi che sapete”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Non so più cosa son”, Le Nozze di Figaro
R. Strauss “Sein wir wieder gut”, Ariadne
R. Strauss “Wie du warst! Wie du bist!”, Der Rosenkavalier
Rossini “Una voce poco fa”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Rossini “Cruda sorte”, L’Italiana in Algeri
Rossini “Nacqui all’affanno… non più mesta”, La Cenerentola
Saint-Saëns “Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix”, Samson et Dalila
Tchaikovsky “Pauline’s Aria”, Pique Dame
Verdi “O don fatale”, Don Carlo
Verdi “Re dell’abisso”, Un ballo in Maschera
Countertenor Repertoire
Gluck “Che farò senza Euridice?”, Orfeo ed Euridice
Handel “Furibondo spira il vento”, Partenope
Handel “Ombra cara”, Radamisto
Handel “Cara sposa”, Rinaldo
Handel “Dove sei”, Rodelinda
Handel “Vivi, tiranno”, Rodelinda
Handel “Ombra mai fu”, Xerxes
Mozart “Venga pur, minacci e frema”, Re di Ponto
Rossini “Oh, patria – Di tanti palpiti”, Tancredi
Strauss “Ich lade gern mir Gäste ein”, Die Fledermaus
Tenor repertoire
Bellini “A te o cara, amor talora”, I Puritani
Bizet “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée”, Carmen
Boito “Dai campi, dai prati”, Mefistofele
Donizetti “Cerchero lontana terra”, Don Pasquale
Donizetti “Una furtiva lagrima”, L’Elisir d’Amore
Donizetti “Ah! Mes amis”, La Fille du Régiment
Donizetti “Fra poco a me ricovero”, Lucia di Lammermoor
Gounod “Salut! Demeure chaste et pure”, Faust
Gounod “Ah, lève-toi, soleil”, Romeo et Juliette
Handel “Fatto inferno e il mio petto… Pastorello d’un povero armento”, Rodelinda
Massenet “Ah, fuyez douce image”, Manon
Massenet “Pourquoi me reveiller”, Werther
Meyerbeer “O Paradis”, L’Africaine
Mozart “Un aura amorosa”, Cosi Fan Tutte
Mozart “Ich baue ganz”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Konstanze … O wie ängstlich” Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Frisch zum Kampfe”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön”, Die Zauberflöte
Mozart “Dalla sua pace”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Il mio tesoro”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Vedrommi intorno l’ombra dolente”, Idomeneo
Puccini “Che gelida manina”, La Bohème
Puccini “Donna non vidi mai”, Manon Lescaut
Puccini “E lucevan le stelle”, Tosca
Puccini “Recondita armonia”, Tosca
Rossini “Si ritrovarla io guiro”, La Cenerentola
Rossini “Ecco Ridente”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Tchaikovsky “Kuda, kuda”, Eugene Onegin
Verdi “Se quel guerrier io fossi … Celeste Aida”, Aida
Verdi “De miei bollente spiriti”, La Traviata
Verdi “Parmi veder le lagrime”, Rigoletto
Verdi “O inferno … sento avvampar … cielo pietoso rendila”, Simon boccanegra
Wagner “Mein Herr, Der Singer Meisterschlag (Act 1 Scene 2)”, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
Weber “Durch Die Wälder”, Der Freischütz
Bass/Baritone Repertoire
Beethoven “Hat Man nicht auch Gold beineben”, Fidelio
Bellini “Ah! Per sempre io ti perdei”, I Puritani
Bellini “Cinta di fiori”, I Puritani
Bellini “Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni”, La Sonnambula
Bizet “Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Toreador Song)”, Carmen
Boito “Ecco il mondo”, Mefistofele
Britten “Look! Through the port”, Billy Budd
Donizetti “Bella sicome un angelo”, Don Pasquale
Donizetti “Come paride vezzoso”, L’Elisir d’Amore
Gounod “Avant de quitter ces lieux”, Faust
Gounod “Le veau d’or”, Faust
Gounod “Vous quifFaites l’endormi”, Faust
Gounod “Ballade de la reine Mab”, Romeo et Juliette
Handel “Tu sei il cor”, Giulio Cesare
Handel “Lascia Amor”, Orlando
Korngold “Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen”, Die tote Stadt
Leoncavallo “Si può”, Pagliacci
Massenet “Vision fugitive”, Hérodiade
Mozart “Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo”, Cosi Fan Tutte
Mozart “O, wie will ich triumphieren”, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Mozart “O Isis und Osiris”, Die Zauberflöte
Mozart “In diesen heil’gen Hallen”, Die Zauberflöte
Mozart “Deh vieni alla finestra”, Don Giovani
Mozart “Fin ch’han dal vino”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Madamina!”, Don Giovanni
Mozart “Non più andrai”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Hai già vinta la causa”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Se vuol ballare”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “Tutto è disposto…Aprite un po’quegli occhi”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart “La vendetta, oh, la vendetta”, Le Nozze di Figaro
Puccini “Questo amor, vergogna mia”, Edgar
Puccini “Vecchia zimarra”, La Bohème
Rossini “Miei rampolli femminini”, La Cenerentola
Rossini “Largo al factotum”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Rossini “La Calunnia”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Rossini “Resta immobile”, William Tell
Stravinsky “Fair lady, gracious gentlemen”, The Rake’s Progress
Tchaikovsky “Onegin’s Aria: Kogda bi zhizn domashinim krugum”, Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky “Onegin’s Arioso: Uzhel ta sa maja Tatiana (Alas, there’s no doubt)”, Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky “Princa Gremin’s aria: Lyubrifse vozrasti pokorni”, Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky “Yeletesky’s aria”, Pique Dame
Verdi “Son io, mio Carlo – Per me giunto – O Carlo, ascolta – io morrò”, Don Carlo
Verdi “Introduzione ed scena: Ella giammai m’amò!”, Don Carlo
Verdi “Infelice!… e tuo credevi”, Ernani
Verdi “È sogno, o realtà ?”, Falstaff
Verdi “Il balen del suo sorriso”, Il Trovatore
Verdi “Di provenza il mar”, La Traviata
Verdi “Pietà, rispetto, amore”, Macbeth
Verdi “Studia il passo, mio figlio”, Macbeth
Verdi “Come dal ciel precipita”, Macbeth
Verdi “Il lacerato spirito”, Simon Boccanegra
Verdi “Eri tu che m’acchiavi”, Un Ballo in Maschera
Wagner “Was duftet doch der Flieder”, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
Wagner “O du mein holder Abendstern”, Tannhäuser