Jury 2026

Brigitte Fassbaender is regarded as one of the most distinguished artists of our time. Until 1994, she pursued an outstanding international career as a mezzo-soprano, performing the major roles of her repertoire at the world’s leading opera houses and most prestigious festivals.
Nearly 300 recordings—many of them award-winning and a large proportion devoted to Lieder and concert repertoire—attest to the artistic significance of the Munich- and Vienna-based Kammersängerin.
Since 1994, Brigitte Fassbaender has devoted herself entirely to stage directing and has brought approximately 95 productions to the stage in Germany and abroad. From 1995 to 1997, she served as Opera Director at the Staatstheater Braunschweig. Between 1999 and 2012, she was General Director (Intendantin) of the Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck. From 2009 to 2017, she was Artistic Director of the Richard-Strauss-Festival Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Since 2002, she has also led the festival “Eppaner Liedsommer.”
The promotion of young talent has always been close to her heart: a highly sought-after voice teacher, she gives masterclasses worldwide. In 2019, her bestselling memoir Komm’ aus dem Staunen nicht heraus was published.

Here is what she says about DEBUT:

"I joined the jury of the DEBUT competition at the kind and persuasive invitation of my highly esteemed colleague Clarry Bartha. Knowing the remarkable reputation the competition has gained over the years, I was delighted to accept. It will be a great pleasure to evaluate and encourage these ambitious and talented young artists responsibly, together with my distinguished fellow jurors and under the charming leadership of Clarry Bartha."