Vladimir Makarov said the 22nd Mikhail Glinka competition has brought together more than 60 young operatic singers from across Russia and other Eurasian counties, including Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus and Mongolia.
"Sixty-six young participants from various Russian cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Omsk and Novosibirsk, have come along," Makarov said.
Each contender has prepared an individual programme to show his or her abilities to the best advantage, he said. Their performances will be judged by a panel of professionals, led by the veteran mezzo-soprano Irina Arkhipova.
The final round of the competition is set for next Tuesday, November 13th.
An ongoing event since 1960, the Glinka contest is credited with having kick started the careers of many of today's internationally acclaimed opera stars, including Dmitry Khvorostovsky, Yelena Obraztsova and Olga Borodina.