Kazakh vocalist Aigerim Altynbek stuns jury, wins big at Portofino’s Opera Competition

Kazakh opera singer Aigerim Altynbek won the 11th International Opera Competition CLIP 2025 held in Portofino, Italy.

Altynbek swept the competition at the CLIP 2025 opera contest, winning the First Prize, the Female Voice Award, the Emotion Prize and the Carlo Majer Award.

“It was a special experience for me, and I believe that there are even greater heights ahead,” wrote Altynbek on Instagram. “A huge thank you to everyone who supported me along the way.”

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Altynbek on her victory, highlighting that it showcased “Kazakhstan’s rich culture to the world and earning recognition from international experts.”

“You have proudly represented our country and its national art on the global stage. I am confident that even greater achievements lie ahead for you,” he said.

The vocalist is no stranger to such competitions, as she previously took top places and awards at various opera competitions. Altynbek was also chosen to intern at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala.

In June, she performed duets with renowned opera singers Andrea Bocelli and José Carreras.

The CLIP 2025 gathered singers from 50 countries. More than 200 singers applied to take part, but only 92 were invited to perform. Of them, only 10 vocalists reached the finale.

Second place in the contest went to South Korean singer Junhyeok Felix Park, third went to Russian Elisaveta Shuvalova, and fourth went to Italy’s own Lucia Tumminelli.

The Concorso Lirico Internazionale di Portofino (CLIP) is an annual opera competition, which serves as a platform for discovering young talents and connecting singers with opera houses.

The jury consists of impresarios, directors and managers of the major European opera houses, including the Vienna State Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Glyndebourne, Metropolitan Opera and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.