Opera Europa has announced the fifth edition of the Eva Kleinitz Scholarship, an initiative aimed at supporting the professional development of talented young singers.

Practical information

  • The Eva Kleinitz Scholarship provides grants of up to €3,000 per recipient.
  • It is open to singers of any nationality who are engaged in full-time further education at a university or conservatoire.
  • The Scholarship is intended for singers of exceptional potential for whom financial support could make a meaningful difference in continuing their studies or taking the next step towards a professional operatic career.

Following the application process, selected candidates will be invited to participate in an online interview in spring 2026. The jury will consist of artist manager Jonathan Groves, Hamburg State Opera Director Bettina Giese, and stage director and Opera Director of Staatstheater Darmstadt Nicola Raab.

The Scholarship honours the memory of Eva Kleinitz, who served as Director of the Opéra National du Rhin until her death in May 2019 and was a former President of Opera Europa. It is funded by a bequest she left in her will, specifically intended to support young singers.

How to apply

Applicants must provide the following material as a single pdf document: 

  • Full CV, detailing education and performance experience (maximum two sides A4); 
  • Current concert song and opera repertoire; 
  • Links to video material – two opera arias and one lied or other art song, featuring at least two languages (see below specifications); 
  • A letter of reference from your teacher or a professional singer;
  • A letter, up to a maximum of 250 words, setting out how you would use such a grant and why it would make a significant difference at this point in your life; this letter may be written in English, French, German or Italian. 

Specifications for video material:

  • The links to your videos may be set to private if you wish, but you must provide the relevant password(s) in your application. 
  • Each of your three pieces should be recorded in a single take, with a single camera angle, and be submitted without any editing. 
  • You must specify the date(s) on which your videos were recorded and, broadly, the equipment used to make your videos (e.g. smartphone with built-in microphone, smartphone with external recorder, professional recording equipment).

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF document by 4 January 2026, to scholarship@opera-europa.org