Organised every three years, the competition now in its 14th turn is named after Russian-born composer, pianist and conductor, Sergei Rachmanninov and aims to seek new opera singers.
This year’s event attracted 25 candidates from eight countries, including three from the Asian nations of China, Mongolia and Vietnam.
Mai is a student at Russian Gnesins’ Academy of Music. In 2009, she won first prize at a national contest for professional chamber and opera singers, which was jointly organised by the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in conjunction with the Vietnam Association of Musicians.