Competition in 2007, Audun Iversen from Harstad was a relatively unknown quantity. Then all that changed. While he was studying at the Royal Danish Opera Academy in Copenhagen, the Royal Danish Opera’s artistic director Kasper Holten discovered the singer with the great stage presence and a supple, powerful baritone voice and signed him up for several productions. He made his international breakthrough as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro at Deutsche Oper in Berlin, and has since sung a number of major roles in opera houses throughout Europe. He is also a much sought after concert singer, both in Europe and now also in the USA. Audun Iversen’s career is a success story that shows how important a role the Queen Sonja International Music Competition can play for Norwegian singing talents.