SALBEK OPERA FESTIVAL

International Salbek Opera Masterclass (18 – 23 August 2026) – call for applications

The International Salbek Opera Masterclass returns for its 4th edition from August 18 – 23, 2026, on the grounds of Salbek Castle in Petriș, Arad County.

The call for applications opens this spring, inviting young artists to apply for an intensive, hands-on working experience alongside some of the most acclaimed opera soloists on the international stage.

The masterclass will be led by mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, tenor Ramón Vargas, and soprano Leontina Văduva – three artists whose careers have been built on the world’s great opera stages. Together with them, participants will work intensively in small groups, focusing closely on technique, expressivity, and stage presence.

This is the only masterclass of its kind in Romania and, as in previous years, it takes place in the unique setting of Salbek Castle, an environment that encourages focus, dialogue, and a natural closeness between professors and participants.

The program is open to young musicians aged 18 to 35. Applications are open until May 31, 2026, here. The final selection of participants will be made by the three professors between June 1–15.

Over the course of five days, participants receive not only artistic guidance but also practical stage experience. They may take part as assistants or rehearsal partners and perform in the Salbek Opera Festival Extraordinary Gala, gaining valuable insight and experience within real professional contexts.

Working in international groups also fosters an exchange of cultural traditions, working methods, and personal experiences, contributing to deeper mutual understanding and the creation of a genuine artistic community.

The masterclass concludes on August 23 with the Salbek Opera Festival Extraordinary Gala, held outdoors in City Hall Square in Arad, together with the Filarmonica de Stat din Arad, conducted by David Crescenzi. On stage will be soloists Ruxandra Donose, Leontina Văduva, and Ramón Vargas, with special guest soprano Paula Iancic, alongside the most outstanding participants of this year’s edition.

“We want every young artist who comes to Salbek to feel that they belong here. It’s not just a course—it’s an ecosystem of growth, genuine encounters, and courage. You study seriously, you work hard, but you also rediscover the simple joy of being on stage,” says Ana Maria Mihăescu, President of the Salbek Castle Association.

Working within such an international group encourages a rich exchange of cultural traditions, artistic practices, and personal experiences, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening the intercultural dimension of the project.

Maximum twenty selected participants

The young musicians, aged between eighteen and thirty, will be selected from April to June, following a public call for applicants that will be published on the project’s website and Facebook page and in the online publications of the project’s partners.

Study, recreation, visibility

The location chosen for the event – the village of Petriș, Arad County –provides participants with a setting suitable for study and recreation. The Castel Salbek Association provides accommodation, meals, local transport, and accompanying pianists – more details about the conditions, below.

The musicians will have the opportunity to work with three co-rehearsal teachers on the piano, allowing for complex and continuous study. To ensure the greatest visibility and significant sustainability, representatives of national and international cultural organisations will be invited to attend, as well as two or three specialist journalists.

At the end of the series of courses, the teachers will highlight the strengths of the participants and the improved areas. They will choose a few participants for the Opera Gala.

Present and future opportunities

The masterclasses will cover various topics, including subjects concerning Romanian and East-European traditional music and the influence of traditional themes on classical and contemporary music, combining modern techniques of interpretation with musical methodology. The project will therefore be both innovative and attractive, thanks to its interdisciplinary and multicultural approach. The masterclasses will give rise to collaborative projects between the young musicians and teachers, which will also be able to be presented before audiences on other occasions. Likewise, musicians taking part will be able to return to the counties of Arad, Hunedoara, Alba, and Timiș as part of other projects.

The Association will continue the Masterclass in the years to come and aims to expand it with opera performances and galas at prestigious European venues.

The young musicians will be able both to specialise and to benefit from the project’s exposure in their future careers. In addition, the project will be able to guide audiences attending the concerts towards music of the highest quality, and likewise to create national interest in the Arad, Hunedoara, Alba, and Timiș regions, as well as greater international interest in the Romanian cultural space.

The Salbek International Opera Masterclass wishes to offer young musicians the chance to meet outstanding teachers who will contribute to their artistic and personal development and create future opportunities for them.

Producer: Salbek Castle Association
Partners: Primăria Municipiului Arad, Centrul Municipal de Cultură Arad, Filarmonica de Stat din Arad
Local Partners: Primăria Petriș