Dave Monaco

Third Prize at Operalia 2025 went to the Italian tenor Dave Monaco, shared with the soprano Samira Galimova, and he carried off a Special Prize from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture as well. That year the competition was held at the Bulgaria Concert Hall in Sofia, over a week in October, and Monaco sang in the zarzuela final in addition to the main one. A Sicilian, he trained with Leone Magiera and Salvatore Fisichella and went through the Accademia Rossiniana under Ernesto Palacio and the young artist programme of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, which left him with Rossini roles such as Count Almaviva, Lindoro and Don Ramiro. At the Portofino competition in 2021 he took second prize together with the audience prize and the award for the best Italian singer.