Application and Eligibility
Application
Applications for the 2025-26 season are accepted from July 1, 2025 until July 31, 2025 at 11:59pm ET with no exceptions.
US, Canada, and Mexico Application
Applicants may apply to the Competition once per season and are required to submit one video recording of an operatic aria for the Qualifying round. Videos must be recorded in the 2025 calendar year (from January 1 - July 31, 2025) and cannot be edited for sound or video enhancement. No pianist will be provided for the qualifying round. Videos may have live, pre-recorded, digital or app-based piano tracks. Orchestral or instrumental tracks will NOT be accepted.
Qualifying round videos are reviewed by the Met's Artistic Staff.
Recipients of any judge-awarded prizes at the District or Region levels of the 2024-25 Competition are pre-qualified for the 2025-26 season, should they choose to apply. Those individuals will need to complete the application through Resonance but not submit video recordings. Pre-qualified singers will have their own priority registration day in advance of the qualified and general applicant registration groups.
Repertoire Requirements
In each round of the Competition, an in-depth knowledge of language, style, and musicianship is essential for a successful operatic audition. Our District and Region competitions require four operatic arias in two or more languages of varying styles that best represent you at your current stage of vocal development.
Oratorio, musical theater, concert arias and zarzuela are NOT permitted.
Registration and Competition Dates
DISTRICT REGISTRATION
South America| September 6, 2025 at 12pm ET
Pre-Qualifier Registration| September 12, 2025 at 12pm ET
Qualifier Registration | September 13, 2025 at 12pm ET
Limited Qualifier Registration| September 16, 2025 at 12pm ET
Registration for the Laffont Competition takes place on Resonance.
Instructions are sent to registrants individually by email ahead of Registration.
SEASON TIMELINE
Applications accepted | July 1-31, 2025
Results announced | September 1, 2025
District Competitions | October 2025-January 2026
Region Competitions | December 2025-February 2026
National Semifinals | Sunday, March 15, 2026
Grand Finals Concert | Sunday, March 22, 2026
A complete list of this season's District and Regions will be posted in July 2025.
Competitor Groups
Pre-Qualifiers | Recipients of any judge-awarded prizes at the district level of competition last season are pre-qualified for the Competition this season. These singers must submit an application but do not need to include a video and have a priority registration day.
Qualifiers | Singers in this competitor group may register for any district and have second priority in registration.
Limited Qualifiers | These singers may only compete in Open Districts but are eligible for all prizes should they advance through the Competition. Qualifying Round results are not disclosed to any individuals beyond the Met Opera staff involved in application review.
Non-Qualifiers | Singers in this competitor group have been evaluated as not yet ready to advance to the district level of competition and may not register for a district this season. These singers may apply to the Competition in future seasons.
Eligibility
Participation in the 2025-26 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition is subject to our governing regulations.
South America Region Eligibility
Participación en la 2025-26 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Región Sudamérica está sujeta a las siguientes reglamentos.
Why compete?
How can the Laffont Competition assist your career development?