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Meet Holland’s next opera star! On Sunday evening, October 20, MM Soloist Leander Carlier won ARIA, a singing competition on the Dutch TV channel NPO1. In addition to a trophy, he also secured a place at the Dutch National Opera Studio (Amsterdam).
For eight weeks, Leander Carlier competed for the first prize of ARIA, the equivalent of The Voice for young classical singers. With famous opera arias from Verdi’s La traviata, pop songs like Voilà, or even a Disney classic from Lady and the Tramp, the 24-year-old baritone showcased his unique talent in every round. After an intense final, where he performed the aria ‘Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen’ from Korngold’s Die tote Stadt, the MM Soloist was crowned the winner of the third edition of the Dutch TV competition.
Leander can now join the Dutch National Opera Studio, the talent program of Dutch National Opera (Amsterdam) led by Rosemary Joshua. This marks an important step in his career: “I’m too young to be considered a big name in the opera world just yet,” Carlier said. “The training in Amsterdam is a step in the right direction. It will allow me to hone my skills and hopefully reach the level of a great soloist,” he told VRT NWS.
Peter de Caluwe, General and Artistic Director of La Monnaie, has no doubt about that: “Since his entry into our MM Academy in 2020, during his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, Leander already stood out thanks to his musicality and natural stage presence. His voice is instantly recognizable and unique to me. I once called him ‘a young José Van Dam.’ Too much credit? Believe me, this young man is going to have a stunning career. We can be proud of this talent and the role La Monnaie has already played and will undoubtedly continue to play in his journey.”
Would you like to discover Leander at La Monnaie before he heads north? On Friday, October 25, you can see him at work during the Concertino with MM Soloists and Laureates, where he will be honored alongside Marie-Juliette Ghazarian as brand-new MM Laureate.
As part of the worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the façade of La Monnaie will lit up in pink from 17 to 19 October. Through this symbolic gesture, our house aims to highlight what is still insufficiently known about the disease.
On 21 November, the International Opera Awards will recognise the artists, productions and most innovative projects that marked the international opera scene in 2026. La Monnaie has received two nominations: the first for the opera Medusa and the second for the Green Opera project.
The former General and Artistic Director of La Monnaie will succeed Markus Hinterhäuser and take up his new position in Salzburg on 1 October, following the 2027 Festival edition.
