The Jensen Foundation
Supporting the most promising young professionals in the field of opera
2026 Application Now Live
The Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications to compete in the 2026 competition taking place May 18-23 in New York City. Singers compete for their share of more than $50,000 in awards.
Mezzo Sadie Cheslak Wins 2025 Jensen Competition
Saturday, May 17, 2025 — NEW YORK CITY, NY — The Jensen Foundation has awarded mezzo-soprano Sadie Cheslak the First Place grant award in the 25th annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. Ms. Cheslak receives $15,000 as first-place grant winner. Since the Competition’s inception in 2000, 461 singers have received more than $985,000 in support.
All the Arias Presented at the 2025 Competition
The Jensen Competition requires each singer to prepare five arias: one each in Italian, German, French, and English, plus an aria in any language composed since 2000. For those looking for aria-inspiration - or just curious about what was offered - we’ve compiled a complete list of all the arias presented at the 2025 competition.
The Jensen Foundation is proud of the legacy of support Fritz & Lavinia Jensen have made possible:
25
Annual Competitions
461
Award Winners
$985,700
Awarded