The international opera competition, Operalia 2011, has been won by South African soprano Pretty Yende (left) and American tenor René Barbera.
Tenor Plácido Domingo, who founded the competition in 1993, conducted all the music during the final on 24 July.
For the first time ever, the two first prize winners – each of whom take away $30,000 – were also awarded two other prizes, including an audience prize each.
Yende sang 'O mie fedeli... Ah, la pena in lor piombò' from Beatrice di Tenda by Bellini, while Barbera performed 'Ah mes amis… Pour mon âme' aria from La fille du régiment by Donizetti.
Yende is on the young artists programme at La Scala in Milan and Barbera studies at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Moldovan soprano Olga Busuioc and Russian baritone Konstantin Shushakov were awarded second prize and prize money worth $20,000. Russian soprano Olga Pudova and South Korean tenor Jaesig Lee came third, winning $10,000.
Stella Lorenz