Introduction Rosa KRAUS LEY Chair Fundación Internacional Alfredo Kraus The international career of tenor Alfredo Kraus has a highly qualified jury at an event hosted in the city of always been a point of pride for his home island of his birth. This initiative had taken shape by 2016 and Gran Canaria and the city of his birth, Las Palmas became a reality in 2017, when the sixth Competition de Gran Canaria. From the mid-1950s to 1999, the was organised with backing from local institutions name Alfredo Kraus was renowned at the greatest and funding from the Gran Canaria Island Council in opera theatres and concert halls, resulting in an an ongoing tribute to the island’s cultural ambassador extensive range of recordings that can be heard today par excellence. on films, radio and television. After his death, Kraus became a legend, a status few artists achieve. For new As the guardian of the tenor’s artistic legacy, the generations of singers who missed the opportunity to Fundación Internacional Alfredo Kraus has sought to hear him live, he remains a figure of reference. And ensure the new Competition follows the ideals of its for professional singers and his countless admirers, founder. Eighteen years after the last event, the sixth Kraus is closely identified with Gran Canaria. Competition will host the semi-final and final rounds in the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, the iconic auditorium Alongside his artistic activity, Alfredo Kraus was opened by Kraus in 1997. Following Kraus’ original intensely involved in teaching, initially giving master idea, the preliminary rounds will be held in different classes and finally holding a Chair at the Queen Sofía cities every year. The venues for 2017 are Madrid, School of Music, in Madrid. After experiencing the Florence and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. ups and downs of every beginner singer during his studies in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Barcelona To resolve organisational issues from past events, the and Milan, Kraus harboured a strong desire to help three official prizes on this occasion will be for Opera young people make their way in this field. In 1989 he and Zarzuela, as this is a more feasible option today brought this idea to fruition through a long dreamed for young singers, many of whom will be performing of project: the creation of an international singing with an orchestra for the first time. competition on his island of Gran Canaria, hosted in the city of his birth. The rules have also been updated in accordance with the standards of today’s international competitions, The first competition, I Concurso Internacional de allowing candidates to register online and contact the Canto Alfredo Kraus (Alfredo Kraus International organisers if they have any queries. The Opera and Singing Competition), was held in Las Palmas de Zarzuela repertoire has been revised and extended, Gran Canaria in May 1990. Conceived as a biennial particularly for Zarzuela, a genre that Kraus strongly event, primarily because of the artist’s limited free upheld and frequently performed. As the founder time between performances, the Competition was intended, the jury will be made up exclusively of held in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1999, after the 1998 artistic directors of international theatres. The position event was cancelled due to a family bereavement. The of Chair, originally held by Kraus, will be occupied by first five Competitions were made possible with the a singer with international experience. constant support of the Gran Canaria Island Council, which paid tribute through the event to Kraus’ Through the sixth Competition, VI Concurso achievements, contribution as a cultural ambassador Internacional de Canto Alfredo Kraus, the Foundation of the island, and involvement in teaching younger is reviving a major achievement in culture, education generations. and tourism for Gran Canaria. Eighteen years after the last Competition was held, the Gran Canaria The early death of Alfredo Kraus in 1999 marked the Island Council is breathing new life into one of the end of an era in the organisation of the Competition. most cherished creations of the great tenor, the island’s In the following years, the Fundación Internacional most internationally renowned artist. Alfredo Kraus (Alfredo Kraus International Foundation) set out to revive the tenor’s original intentions: a competition for young singers judged by History 1990 – 1999: The first five competitions The Concurso Internacional de Canto Alfredo Kraus De Osma; mezzo-sopranos Christa Ludwig, Fedora (Alfredo Kraus International Singing Competition), Barbieri, Alicia Nafé, Mabel Perestein and María created by tenor Alfredo Kraus, was conceived from Isabel Torón; tenors Pedro Lavirgen, Juan Oncina and the start as a biennial event. First held in May 1990, Jesús (Suso) Mariátegui; baritones Sesto Bruscantini the Competition continued in 1992, 1994 and 1996, and Antonio Blancas; and basses Walter Berry and followed by a three-year gap until 1999 after the 1998 Antonio Campó. event was cancelled due to a family bereavement. In line with Kraus’ wishes, the first five competitions With the presence of Alfredo Kraus and the added were hosted in the city of his birth, Las Palmas de attraction of a competition held in the city of his Gran Canaria, backed by the Gran Canaria Island birth, an average of 85 contestants signed up for the Council, an unfailing supporter of this initiative. preliminary rounds of the first five competitions. The archives reveal that contestants were of 30 Held on every occasion under the guidance of nationalities and entries came from Spain, Portugal, Alfredo Kraus as Chair, the Competition became France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, a hallmark among international events of its kind, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Sweden, earning international renown not only among Norway, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czech conservatories, theatres, auditoriums and orchestras, Republic, Slovenia, Russia, the United States, Mexico, but also in the context of cultural tourism to Gran Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Canaria. Other institutions joined the Gran Canaria Australia, Japan, China and South Korea. Island Council and the Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation as collaborators: the Spanish Ministry The competitions held from 1990 to 1999 included of Culture – INAEM; the Spanish Ministry of two categories: Opera and Lied (including Zarzuela), Foreign Affairs - Directorate General of Cultural and Oratorio. The six official prizes (three winners and Scientific Relations; the Canary Islands per category) were complemented by special prizes Government – Regional Ministry of Tourism and from institutions and private patrons, in addition to Transport, Deputy Ministry of Culture and Sports; the audience prize. The prize-giving took place after Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council; Madrid the televised concert of the final round with the Gran City Council - Education Department; SOCAEM Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra, held at Pérez Galdós - Canary Islands International Music Festival; Gran Theatre from 1990 to 1996 and in the Symphonic Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation; Hall of the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in 1999. RTVE Symphonic Orchestra and Choir; SGAE (Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers) – Author Foundation; University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna; Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory, Milan; Queen Sofía School of Music, Madrid; Madrid School of Singing; and the London Royal Opera House. The Competition is sponsored by UNELCO, with the collaboration of IBERIA, the International Federation of Friends of Alfredo Kraus, local firms Domnel and Óptica Jaén, and private benefactors. From 1990 to 1999 the preliminary rounds were held in Milan, Vienna, New York, London and Madrid, with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria hosting the semi- final and final rounds. Kraus acted as Chair and was joined by jury members who travelled to Gran Canaria, including sopranos Edda Moser, Ingrid Bjoner, Ángeles Gulín, Tatiana Menotti and Marcella IV CICAK 1996 - Teatro Pérez Galdós Biography Alfredo Kraus Alfredo Kraus Trujillo was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 24 November 1927, second son of journalist Otto Kraus Polensky, from Austria, and Josefina Trujillo Mújica, from Gran Canaria. His parents introduced him to music at an early age: when he was four he began to study piano and at the age of eight he became a member of his primary school choir, Coro del Colegio Corazón de María. As a teenager he took classes from María Suárez Fiol de León and at 16 he joined the Philharmonic Society Choir, later moving on to local choral society Coral Polifónica de Las Palmas. Following his father’s wishes, Kraus spent three years studying Technical Engineering, although that did not stop him continuing his vocal training, in Barcelona with Gali Markoff, in Valencia with Francisco Andrés, and especially in Milan, with Mercedes Llopart. In 1956 he was a finalist in theGeneva International Singing Competition, where he signed his first contract for the Opera of Cairo, making his début there with Rigoletto and Tosca. In 1958, performing in La Traviata opposite Maria Callas at Lisbon’s Sao Carlos Theatre, Alfredo Kraus began a brilliant career appearing at the world’s most important theatres and concert halls. His popularity resulted in two roles in full feature films in 1959 and 1960: Gayarre and El Vagabundo y la Estrella. The extensive recordings he released bear witness to his vocal mastery. With his keen intelligence and insistence on daily