GERDA LISSNER COMPETITION

 

Pianists Arlene Shrut and Francesco Barfoed, singers Anna Thompson, Finn Sagal, Titus Muzi III, Magdalena Kuzma, Jennifer Robinson, Korin Thomas-Smith, and Ben Reisinger

Last night at Zankel Hall we experienced the most memorable vocal competition winners recital in our memory. For once we were in complete agreement with the judges' choices and were thrilled by the performances. As always, host Midge Woolsey did a great job introducing the singers and giving brief but concise summaries of each song or aria. Collaborative pianists Arlene Shrut and Francesco Barfoed provided sensitive accompaniment tailored to each piece. As icing on the cake, we were treated to a delightful performance by honoree Stephanie Blythe, about which more later--just because we know, Dear Reader, that what you want to read about first is the performances of the young artists.

Out of 400 applicants, 34 finalists were chosen, and we fortunate members of the audience got to hear the top winners of the 2025 Art Song Competition and the 2026 International Vocal Competition. Each and every artist shone, not only in terms of vocal technique and linguistic skills, but also in stage presence. Rarely have we seen so many young artists on the same stage at the same time with each one so totally immersed in the character and the meaning of the text that we scarcely paid attention to technique.

Most arresting was the performance of baritone Finn Sagal who showed several aspects of his dramatic chops with very different songs. How readily he changed from  Schubert's spooky "Der Doppelgänger" to the hilarious "Zipperfly" by Marc Blitztein. (Dear Reader, when is the last time you heard us enjoy an American song?) What a storyteller is Mr. Sagal! The Schubert song gave us chills as the artist built in intensity this somber vignette, making superb use of his lower register.

 

We were so lost in that chilling mood that we almost missed the delicacy of the following "Automne" by Fauré. However, the Blitztein was so engagingly delivered that we were pulled into the humor and actually laughed out loud a few times. We should also mention that Mr. Sagal knows how to use the entire stage in service of the drama.

Also in the art song category were two lovely sopranos with very different vocal qualities. We have reviewed Magdalena Kuzma a number of times, most recently as a winner of the Marcella Sembrich competition, and have always thought of her as a fine artist. Last night she showed off her facility in three languages, giving superb dramatic import to Rachmaninoff's "Son", Wolf's "Die Bekehrte", and Sibelius' "Var det en drom?" Aside from the exquisite interpretations we noticed something very interesting about Ms. Kuzma. She seems to taste the words! There was such relish and appreciation of the flavor of each language!

Jennifer Robinson is an artist with different vocal qualities. She connected so well with Ricky Ian Gordon's "Will There Really Be a Morning?" that we discovered an appreciation for Emily Dickinson's poetry, the words of which were sung with clarity and meaning. Following Joseph Marx's gentle "Nachtgebet" we heard Richard Strauss' "Cäcilie" sung with passion--and we confess to loving extravagant emotion, if only onstage.

All three art song winners were accompanied by Mr. Barfoed and for the succeeding opera winners, Ms. Shrut took over. It's been quite a while since we heard tenor Ben Reisinger. The first time was at least seven years ago in Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance when he sang a couple of minor baritone roles in Gianni Schicchi. He won an Opera Index award as a baritone and we noted his excellent upper register. And then we heard him in a Joyce Di Donata master class when he was just transitioning to the tenor fach. Ms. Di Donata gave him some pointers about building the intensity of his aria and he seems to have picked it up and run with it, as they say. We loved the way he built "Che gelida manina" from Puccini's La Bohême which he ended with a finely wrought diminuendo.  Even better was "Kuda kuda" from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. The extroverted Rodolfo became an introspective Lensky and every nuance of his looking death in the face was explored. 

It was time to lighten the mood and baritone Korin Thomas-Smith got the audience laughing with a very funny "Come un'ape ne' giorni d'aprile", Dandini's aria from Rossini's La Cenerentola. Thomas-Smith is a most expressive actor and didn't miss an opportunity to create his character. What a surprise then to hear him give such romantic tenderness and longing to the character of Hérode in Massenet's Herodiade as he sings "Vision fugitive".

Baritone Titus Muzi III  demonstrated dramatic facility in creating the character of Count Almaviva in an aria that reveals his narcissism and pomposity--"Hai gia vinta la causa" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. The jealous husband Ford got equally authentic treatment in "E sogno o realtà" from Verdi's Falstaff. The way he used his consonants allowed him to express rage without shouting. Every gesture was on point. 

Soprano Anna Thompson closed the program with lavish histrionics portraying two very different women--the seductive courtesan Thaïs of the Massenet opera of the same name in "Dis moi que je suis belle" and the spirited Rosalinde pretending to be an Hungarian countess in the czardas "Klänge der Heimat" from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus. Rosalinde is clearly putting on a show for her wayward husband and Ms. Thompson's extravagant acting made it clear throughout both slow and fast sections.

We will not end before sharing with you a highlight of the evening. Superstar mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, accompanied by the incomparable Warren Jones, enraptured the audience with the same type of duo as we heard from the youthful artists. Two very different songs showed off two different aspects of her dramatic gifts. First was the very first song she ever sang--Brahms' "Wie melodien zieht es mir"--followed by  Cole Porter's  very witty "Tale of the Oyster".

What a glorious evening. We have come to have very high expectations of these annual Gerda Lissner Competition recitals but this one exceeded our expectations! Judging by the reaction of the audience we were not alone. How wonderful that one woman's legacy has affected so many young singers at the beginning stages of their careers by providing financial support and exposure. If only we could let her know!

© meche kroop

A VISIT FROM THE PEABODY INSTITUTE

Holden Turner, Laurie Rogers, Cierra Byrd, Julie Knott, Daniel LaRue, Rira Kim, and Sara Nealley

Perhaps every other opera lover in New York City spent the afternoon at The Metropolitan Opera undergoing the tense atmosphere of the Laffont Competition. Meanwhile we were enjoying a relaxed and rewarding afternoon up close and personal in the WQXR recording studio downtown hearing six superb young singers from the Vocal Studies Department at Peabody Conservatory.

With typical New York City chauvinism, we had hardly realized that a superb vocal training program might exist outside of Gotham until The Gerda Lissner Foundation began sponsoring a series of broadcasts about which we have been writing this year, a series hosted by the well known Midge Woolsey. Introducing and narrating the program was Elizabeth Futral who, incidentally, won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition (now called the Laffont Competition) in 1991, went on to enjoy a brilliant career, and now occupies the position of Marc C. Von May Distinguished Chair of Vocal Studies at Peabody Institute.

The six young singers made a fine showing, doing credit to the program. They chose their selections well, each one highlighting his/her own strengths. No criticism could be made of their vocalism and we were able to focus on their dramatic presentations which were consistently special.

Coming to mind first was the Rosina of mezzo-soprano Julie Knott who took us right into the scene in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia in which she plots to outwit her controlling possessive guardian. The lavish embellishments in"Una voce poco fa" served to limn her character and we were delighted by the performance. Ms.Knott is also capable of quietude and underplaying as she demonstrated in the soulful mystic chant of Hildegard von Bingen, performed a cappella. Her dynamic variation kept the simple line interesting. 

Soprano Rira Kim made a marvelous Marguerite, so impressed by the cask of jewels she received from Faust in "Ah, je ris" from Gounod's Faust. We also enjoyed a Korean folk song "Baetoolga" in a contemporary setting by Jean Ahn.

Mezzo-soprano Cierra Byrd is as adept in French as she is in German, giving Fauré's "Après un rěve" a lovely long Gallic line and giving Mahler's chipper folksong "Wer hat dies Liedlein" the requisite humor, even in the vocalise part.

Soprano Sara Nealley tackled some difficult material. If one were unfamiliar with James Joyce's text, one would have a difficult time understanding Barber' setting of "Nuvoletta" and the soprano range doesn't help to elucidate the text. Her other selection was an emotional aria from Janáček's Katya Kabanova, a tragedy about an unhappy wife who drowns herself after an episode of unfaithfulness. We are not familiar with the Czech language but we did pick up on the loneliness.

Tenor Daniel LaRue gave a fine performance of Schubert's masterful lied "Erlkonig", differentiating the voices of the frightened child, the seductive elf king, and the father who tries to reassure the child.

Baritone Holden Turner was convincing as the self important Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.  He is completely baffled by the machinations of Figaro, Susanna and the Countess in "Hai già vinta la cause" and plots his revenge.

Accompanist for the recital was Laurie Rogers who admirably kept up with the many changes of style.

Before closing, here's a reminder for you that The Gerda Lissner Foundation is celebrating the winners of their annual competition on April 29th at Zankel Hall. Ticket supply is dwindling and we urge you to move quickly to secure a seat for this consistently thrilling event.

© meche kroop

 

THE GERDA LISSNER FOUNDATION VOCAL COMPETITION WINNERS CONCERT 2024/2025

 Top Row: Magdalena Kuzma, Giorgi Guliashvili,, Tatev Baroyan, Sofia Gotch, and Shelén Hughes

Bottom Row: Amanda Batista, Erin Wagner, Michael John Butler, Bridget Esler, and Ashlyn Rock

The generosity of the Gerda Lissner Foundation is legendary--not just generosity in awarding prizes to young singers but also generosity toward the opera loving public. Free tickets to a grand show were offered to the public and a better show could not be provided for any amount of money.  The ten chosen singers are accomplished and already sought after by opera companies around the country and also abroad. Still, young singers need all the help they can get when government assistance for the arts is virtually non existent with no hope for improvement in the near future--and this foundation provides such assistance.

Last night at Zankel Hall, ten superb artists got the opportunity to show off their respective artistry. We have decided to ignore our copious notes and to summarize our overall impressions of how singers present themselves at such events and also to highlight performances that stuck with us overnight. Here let us mention that we are neither judge nor vocal coach and that our impressions are biased by a number of factors. 

There are singers whose growth we have been witnessing over a number of years and toward whom we admittedly feel a certain attachment. There are languages we prefer to hear. There are musical periods that resonate more strongly than others. (This is a circumspect way of saying we don't much care for contemporary works or the English language.)

One thing we observed is that the way singers choose to present themselves may or may not reflect their best qualities. One would hope that their teachers or coaches might point them toward works that show off their unique gifts. A singer may really enjoy singing a particular work that just isn't meant for them. On the other hand, a singer taking pleasure in a particular song or aria might just involve the audience to a greater degree.

With this is mind, we are going to ignore our copious notes and dip into our feelings to highlight the performances that resonated with us personally. The first one that comes to mind is that of Erin Wagner whose Mignon lied "Kennst du das Land" by Hugo Wolf transported us to a feeling of nostalgia for a place that we, like Mignon in the Goethe story, may not return to. It brought tears to our eyes which is not a bad thing. Much can be said for catharsis and shared feelings.

The second one that comes to mind is soprano Shelén Hughes' performance of the Snow Maiden's aria from Rimsky-Korsakov's Snegurechka. We have heard her sing this aria many times, the first being when she was a student at Manhattan School of Music. It was our first exposure to the opera and we were enchanted by the fairy tale and the composer's melodic gifts which Ms. Hughes brought to vivid life.

The third one that comes to mind is soprano Sofia Gotch's depiction of an innocent young woman's awakening to love in "Caro nome" from Verdi's Rigoletto. Every vocal ornament so magnificently rendered by Ms. Gotch served to highlight Gilda's romantic rapture.  

The gusto with which tenor Michael Butler sang Strauss' "Heimliche Aufforderung" had an immediate uplifting effect on our spirits. Soprano Amanda Batista's interpretation of Mimi in Puccini's La Bohême showed us two sides of her character, the somewhat brazen flirtation alternating with a reactive shyness, which struck us as typical of the very young experimenting with mating behavior.

When a singer adds dancing to her performance, it is bound to make a lasting impression and soprano Tatev Baroyan got into the Roma spirit in Emmerich Kalman's "Heia, in den Bergen", from Die Czardasfürstin. And finally soprano Magdalena Kuzma gave a perfect interpretation of the playful Susana really laying it on to tease her husband Figaro by pretending to be anticipating a romantic tryst with the Count in Mozart's Nozze di Figaro.

We believe we have made the point that audience reaction is a very personal matter, relating to the mood and past experiences of the listener. We would like to point out that the excellent singers pictured above whom we did not mention were not inferior in any way. We just wanted to see what struck us without consulting our notes.

We would like to mention also the fine accompaniment of Francesco Barfoed, collaborative pianist for the first half of the program (art songs) and that of Arlene Shrut for the second half (arias). Our hostess for the evening was the delightful Midge Woolsey who did a fine job of summarizing each number in advance for audience members who were unfamiliar with the repertory.

We would also like to share our delight over the appearance of the honorees for the evening--mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke who was a competition winner fifteen years ago, accompanied by the renowned pianist Warren Jones. The pair shared a special piece written by Michael Tilson Thomas for Leonard Bernstein's 70th birthday. It was upbeat and jazzy and spoke of gratitude. We soaked that up like a sponge, feeling grateful for the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the collaborating Kosciuszko Foundation and all those gifted young singers who brought so much joy to our week.

© meche kroop

FROM THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE

 Miloš Repický, J'Nai Bridges, Evan Gray, Katie Trigg, and Sarah Fleiss

A favorable confluence of musical forces delivered an outstanding hour of music yesterday at WQXR's "The Greene Space". Sponsored by The Gerda Lissner Foundation and hosted by WQXR's  Midge Woolsey, five fantastic artists from The Curtis Opera Theater succeeded in lifting the spirits of an attentive studio audience and, we hope, listeners at home. In these dark days, musical beauty has become even more valuable in showing why life is worthwhile. And what could be more beautiful than vocal music.

An alumna of Curtis Institute of Music, the prodigiously gifted superstar mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges not only sang her heart out, but also, as we understand, spent a week in Philadelphia giving master classes to the three young singers whose artistry touched our heart and gave us hope for the future. Upon hearing young singers, we often enjoy mentally casting them in roles that we think would suit them. Sometimes we guess well and learn that they have actually performed those roles, giving us a somewhat smug sense of satisfaction.

Regular readers know how dearly we love duets and ensembles and we particularly enjoyed the opening duet "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman performed in delicious harmony by Ms.  Bridges and rising star soprano Sarah Fleiss. The two filled The Greene Space with luscious harmony and brought back happy memories of the opera, seen most recently at the Santa Fe Opera.

Ms. Bridges is a gloriously centered and gracious stage presence (as well as a warm and delightful off-stage presence) and we loved the way she got the three young singers to talk about the songs they were about to sing. Since the program was "singer's choice", we got a glimpse of how the singers see themselves by means of their selections.

For example, Ms. Fleiss put so much intention into her performance of two of Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs that we felt an understanding of the appeal of solitude in "The Desire for Hermitage". This was paired with the contrasting companionate pleasure of "The Monk and His Cat". Let it be noted that Ms. Fleiss' diction was so perfect that we understood every word. This cannot be said of most American singers who tend to slur their words when singing English.

New Zealand native Katie Trigg, a mezzo-soprano,  introduced us to some Maori songs that, we could tell, meant a great deal to her. We were surprised to learn how singable the language is, with vowels similar to Italian. The sentiments were lovely, the melodies pleasing, and the performance intimate. We enjoyed the way she built the pianissimo beginning of "Whisper of Heaven" to a thrilling climax.  There was a very brief song in which a newborn, as yet unnamed, tells his mother (presumably) in reply to her question "What shall I call thee?", "Joy is my name". We wanted Ms. Trigg to give different colors to the mother's voice and the infant's voice.

Swiss bass-baritone Evan Gray delighted us with Schubert's lilting "Die Taubenpost" which suited his voice perfectly, reminding us that no one has ever equalled Schubert in setting poetry for the voice. However we also liked Jonathan Dove's setting of Three Tennyson Songs. The collaborative pianist Miloš Repický--so admirably supportive of the singers throughout--made much of the dissonant intervals of a 2nd in "Dark House" as well as some empty chords which emphasized the feeling of loneliness. In "The Sailor Boy" we wished for more contrast of color between the voice of the narrator, the warning voice of the mermaid, and the response of the reckless sailor boy himself. This dramatic "fine-tuning" will take the performance over the top.

One of the best scenes in Mozart's Cosi fan tutti is the trio in which Don Alfonso, Fiordiligi, and Dorabella watch the young men sail away, or so the young ladies are led to believe.  The harmonies are exquisite and the three young singers completely captured the vocal beauty.

Ms. Bridges captivated us with a couple of songs. Florence Price's "Hold Fast to Dreams" with text from a poem by Langston Hughes, carried a message of hope, much needed in today's political climate.  But it was the spiritual "Whole World", arranged by Margaret Bonds, that touched us deeply--and for a strange reason.  This lovely artist chose to alternate verses with "He/Him" and "She/Her". There are those that might have preferred "They/Them" but not us. We were reminded of our trip to Zimbabwe when we learned about the dual god/goddess of the Zambezi River (Nyami Nyami).

The evening ended on a hopeful note with our four artists joining voices for "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. It was a splendid evening giving us hope for the future! If we lived in Philadelphia, we would be haunting the halls of Curtis Institute instead of those of Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music.

© meche kroop

YALE OPERA MEETS GERDA LISSNER

Gerald Martin Moore, Jillian Tate, Leah Hawkins, Rosario Armas and Ryan Capozzo

(photo by Rezi Aliaj)

One didn't need to be outdoors last night to watch the stars. They were all inside at WQXR's Greene Space, introduced by the lovely Midge Woolsey. This dazzling array of opera stars all had connections to Yale Opera, past or present, and the concert was generously sponsored by The Gerda Lissner Foundation. Both institutions can be honored for supporting the careers of young singers. The evidence of effective training was readily available to the thirsty ears of the attendees.

Let us begin with the prodigious achievements of mezzo-soprano Rosario Armas whose total investment in her artistry is immediately evident. Zarzuela is such an immediate art form that goes from ear to heart and when Ms. Armas sang "Al Pensar" from Ruperto Chapi's La hijas del Zebedeo, the emotions of a woman crazy about her man came through loud and clear, (her man being the one on the front row, the gifted accompanist Ahmed Alom Vega). This was IRL, not acting! This challenging aria has rapid fire vocal effects that were brilliantly executed but our attention was riveted by Ms. Armas' total emotional immersion.

This quality was also noted in her duet with Ryan Capozzo, a very engaging young tenor who was new to us, but one we cannot wait to hear again. The pair performed the scene from Act II of Bizet's Carmen that takes place in Lillas Pastia's taverna (hopefully not in a gas station as The Metropolitan Opera would have it!). We treasure the moments when singers show us something new about the characters and that can only happen when the vocal technique is so exemplary and so revealing of character that we can forget about the technique and focus on the interpretation.

We came to realize, as Ms. Armas' Carmen went from seductiveness to disbelief, to rage, to vindictiveness, that the volatile Carmen lives from moment to moment, responding with immediacy and emotional honesty. Mr. Capozzo drew a portrait of Don Jose who was on a more steady arc, one of obsession. His hamartia is that he is unable to shift emotional gears. One could actually believe that Carmen has cast a spell on him. The scene was nothing short of riveting.

Mr. Capozzo distinguished himself elsewhere in the program. His warm tone and ardent expressiveness were evident in the Prince's aria "Vidino divna přesladká" from Dvořak's Russalka. We cannot comment on his facility with the Czech language but we can say that he gave the vowels full measure so that it sounded as beautiful as Italian.

We do speak German so are in a position to comment favorably on his diction in "Dein ist mein Ganzes Herz" from Lehár's Das Land des Lächelns. A new tenor on the horizon who is both talented and handsome is always welcome.

Famous soprano Leah Hawkins made a stunning appearance and gifted the audience with the lighthearted "Nobody's Business", a traditional song arranged by Peter Ashbourne. She also lent her powerful instrument to a pair of French mélodies--Lili Boulanger's "Nous nous aimerons" evincing a subtle vibrato and a pianissimo note that seemed to hang in the air, and Poulenc's "Les chemins de l'amour" to which she added far more dramatic intensity than cabaret singers we have heard. Once again we were taken with a  pianissimo spun out of silver. 

A young soprano new to us, Jillian Tate, performed a text by Toni Morrison which was so densely set by André Previn that her voice was rather overwhelmed. We liked the text of "Take my Mother Home" from the cycle Honey and Rue but we can't say we were thrilled by Mr. Previn's piano score.

We got a better appreciation of Ms. Tate's vocal skills when she joined Ms. Armas and Ms. Hawkins for the final trio from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. She made a very fine Sophie and the balance between the three voices was perfect. Since the singers were "on the book", we took the opportunity of closing our eyes and just listened to the manner in which Strauss wove three very different voices together into a rich tapestry.

The superb accompanist for the evening was the well known and well loved Gerald Martin Moore. It was a thrilling recital, giving us the opportunity to hear two voices we have admired for several years, and to be introduced to two voices we look forward to hearing again.

© meche kroop

BRAVA GERDA LISSNER

 Arlene Shrut, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Yeongtaek Yang, Matthew Cairns, Tatev Baroyan, Karoline Podolak, Shelen Hughes, Rosario Armas, Gemma Nha, and Anna Kelly

Thanks to the generosity of philanthropist Gerda Lissner, several generations of opera singers have been supported in their artistic growth. In addition, citizens of Planet Opera were gifted a thrilling evening of impressive singing at Zankel Hall.  Out of 300 presumably worthy applicants, ten winners were selected to perform and were the fortunate recipients of 95 thousand dollars. No, Dear Reader, you will not learn their ranking here. That is the difficult and unenviable task of the judges. Our "task" is to share our impressions.

It is particularly rewarding for us to witness the success of singers we have followed throughout their conservatory years; it is astonishing to catch up with the dramatic artistic growth of those who left New York City and haven't been heard by us for some time; it is exciting to discover artists who are new to us. It is also a delight to experience the gracious hosting of Midge Woolsey who made up for the lack of titles and translations by giving a brief synopsis of each selection. And finally, it is always a pleasure to see how pianist Arlene Shrut manages to switch genres and styles with ease, giving the young singers the collaboration and accompaniment they deserve.

It seemed to us that the audience comprised people who know and love opera, lieder, art song and zarzuela, all of which were represented in the award categories.  No one distracted other audience members. Everyone listened with rapt attention and applauded generously and enthusiastically--and never at inopportune times. 

Speaking of applause, it made us deliriously happy to hear the audience going wild over the zarzuela selection sung with consummately professional style by mezzo-soprano Rosario Armas. Regular readers know how highly we value this art form and how we always jump at the chance to attend a performance.  The selection that Ms. Armas chose was from Chapi's humorous Las Hijas del Zebedeo. Every gesture was on point and Ms. Armas used her rich expressive voice to create a character.

In a similarly light-hearted mood, soprano Shelén Hughes charmed us with a selection from Victor Herbert's operetta "Mlle. Modiste" which we sadly missed when Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! presented it. It is a fine achievement when a singer is so secure in her technique and so well rehearsed that the performance seems spontaneous and very much "of the moment".

A coloratura soprano named Caroline Podolak gave a stunning performance of "Glitter and Be Gay" from Leonard Bernstein's Candide, giving the song just the right amount of humor as Cunegonde alternates between the shame of her status (which you all know) and the pleasure of receiving expensive jewelry. The high tessitura presented no challenge for her and the vocal effects were sensational. To add to the performance, this beautiful blond looked the part.

Similarly, mezzo-soprano Maire Therese Carmack looked and sounded exactly the way one would wish for the daughter of Wotan as she performed "Du bist der Lenz" from the first act of Wagner's Die Walküre. The entire setting of the Otto Schenk version (the only one that made sense to us) appeared in our mind's eye--always a sign of a great performance.

Soprano Tatev Baroyan gave a lovely and affecting performance as Liu, singing "Tu, che di gel sei cinta" from Puccini's Turandot. Mezzo-soprano Anna Kelly employed a sweet tone and personal charm in a Joseph Marx lied entitled "Jugend und Alter".  Soprano Gemma Nha performed Joowon Kim's "Like the Wind That Met with Lotus" with a haunting feeling and ringing top notes.

And now, let us get to the men. Guest artist counter-tenor Anthony Ross Costanzo delivered an inspiring "speechlet" about Orfeo and the power of music and then involved the audience in his performance of a scene from 

Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice (in which he is starring at The Metropolitan Opera) which everyone seemed to enjoy.

Counter-tenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen was definitely not overshadowed by Mr. Costanzo's fame and performed two Händel arias, a deeply felt "Stille Amare" from Tolomeo and the spirited "Empio, dirò , tu sei" from Giulio Cesare in Egitto in which he dazzled us with fiery fioritura.

Yeongtaek Yang used his gorgeous baritone instrument to create a highly involving introduction to Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, bringing Tonio to vivid life. It felt so real that we nearly forgot where we were and were waiting for the opera to begin!

Tenor Matthew Cairns has a sizable voice with an interesting texture and fine French diction that he brought to "Ô Paradis sorti de l'onde" from Meyerbeer's L'Africaine.

What a wonderful evening--a gathering of the tribe joining to celebrate young artists. May they all achieve the professional success that they deserve!

© meche kroop

A GIFT FROM GERDA LISSNER

 Danielle Orlando, Latonia Moore, Alice Chung, Titus Muzi, and Ethel Trujillo

One could not have asked for a more satisfying experience than that provided last night at The Greene Space by The Gerda Lissner Foundation, starring singers of the Academy of Vocal Arts, eleven alumni of which are performing this season at the Metropolitan Opera, including some of our very own favorites such as James Morris, Ailyn Perez, and Latonia Moore. There was a warm welcome from Scott Guzielek, Vice President and General Manager of AVA and the ever-delightful Midge Woolsey of WQXR.

As familiar as we are with students at New York City's three conservatories, we have only been introduced to the students of AVA on occasions when they have appeared in competitions. We were happy to have made up somewhat for the lack and quite interested to learn that students at AVA pay no tuition! They must be doing something very special down there in Philadelphia, judging by what we heard tonight.

Soprano Latonia Moore headlined the evening with "Il est doux, il est bon" from Massenet's Herodiade, adding gentle coloring to her sizable voice. What we liked best, aside from the magnificent instrument she possesses, was her total immersion in the character. The vibrato was one of innocent rapture and her gestures limned the character of a young Salome.

We heard her later in the program as Cio-Cio San in Puccini's Madama Butterfly--first (accompanied  by mezzo-soprano Alice Chung as Suzuki, about whom more later) in "Scuoti quella fronda di cilegio" in which her voice was colored with joyful anticipation, and later in "Tu, tu piccolo iddio" in which she bids farewell to her beloved son, with sorrow and despair. Having both scenes on the same program gave us a picture of the evolution of character, so necessary to the believability of the story. When singing is so perfect, it is this characterization that makes the difference between talent and artistry.

This quality seems to be a feature of AVA singers. Take, for example, the scenes from Don Pasquale, Donizetti's comic masterpiece. The widow Norina is ambitious and wily and makes a fine team with the shrewd and calculating Dr. Malatesta as they forge a plan to deceive the stingy Don Pasquale. The singers must work hard to get us to like these characters or the opera falls flat. And all this must reflect the commedia del'arte underpinnings of the story.

Soprano Ethel Trujillo and baritone Titus Muzi succeeded admirably at this. In "Quel guardo il cavaliere", Ms. Trujillo reveals Norina's romantic side, using her facility with fioritura and a warm coloration of the voice to put us squarely in her corner. There was an exceptionally clean descending scale and a notably fine trill none of which distracted us from the character she created.

But just watch how she reacted to the plot hatched by Mr. Muzi's Malatesta. His warm baritone was perfect for the role and he created a likeable character whom we could accept as one helping Norina to achieve her dreams, rather than as a wicked manipulator taking advantage of Don Pasquale.  The two artists worked very well together as he instructed her in how to play her part in the deception. They are marvelous comic actors as well as singers.

Mr. Muzi created a quite different character, playing Valentin in Gounod's Faust as a sincerely devoted and responsible brother. In the mid-section he revealed the stalwart soldier. It was great to see this other serious side of his artistry.

Ms. Trujillo also had another opportunity to dazzle us. Regular readers know about our passion for zarzuela and the soprano's choice of "Me llaman la primorosa" from Giménez and Nieto's El barbero de Sevilla suited her perfectly. We haven't heard it since New Camerata Opera presented it way back in B.C. (before Covid). The aria gave her a chance to show all kinds of vocal flair and personality. Again we noted the very fine trill and facility with even scale passages. At one point she exchanged phrases with the piano in a most charming fashion.

Mezzo-soprano Alice Chung, whose voice blended so beautifully with Ms. Moore's in the Butterfly duet, had some riveting solos which we found incredibly moving.  Perhaps "Voce di donna" is the only aria from Ponchielli's La Gioconda that we remember but Ms. Chung's performance brought the entire opera back to mind and we could just see La Cieca blessing Laura.

Even more remarkable was a Korean art song "Longing for GeunGang Mountain" by Choi Young-Sup, apparently written after the Japanese occupation ended, an historical turn of events which permitted Korea to develop its own art song tradition. In spite of being written in the 20th c. the song is melodic and the confluence of the melody in the music and the melody in the words brought tears to our eyes. It was obvious how deeply the artist related to the song.

Toward the end of this drama-filled evening, Ms. Chung performed a work of brevity and utter simplicity--William Bolcom's "Waitin'",  another triumph for this gorgeous voice.

Piano accompaniment was provided by the very gifted Danielle Orlando, whose playing captured our attention during some American folk songs arranged by Clifford Shaw, a most different experience than a piano attempting to replace an entire orchestra. We could really appreciate the writing and the performance.

If you didn't make it into the small Greene Space, perhaps you heard the live stream.  In which case, you are welcome to provide your comments below. Please note that the Gerda Lissner Foundation will have a competition at Zankel Hall on May 1st. We advise you to get your tickets now.

© meche kroop

GERDA LISSNER AWARD RECITAL

 

Arlene Shrut, Mary Pinto, Midge Woolsey, Ethel Trujillo, Yvette Keong, Teresa Perrotta, Evelyn Saavedra, Shannon Keegan, Gregory Feldmann, Eleomar Cuello, Kevin Godínez, and Eric Ferring

Oh, how we have missed the Gerda Lissner Foundation annual awards recitals! So much has happened in the past couple years--the sad losses of Stephen De Maio who gave so much to the opera community in so very many ways, as well as serving as president of the Gerda Lissner Foundation, and of Brian Kellow, longtime host of the annual concerts.

But the Foundation goes on with some welcome additions and changes.  As host we had the lovely well known Midge Woolsey who is another champion of young singers. And the best news of all was the institution of a Zarzuela and Operetta Division.  Regular readers know how fond we are of zarzuela  and how delighted we have been to see this art form represented increasingly on recital programs. 

This division was chosen to replace the Wagnerian Division with the belief that young voices are better suited to Chapí than to Wagner. Thus we were fortunate enough to hear the lovely Mexican soprano Ethel Trujillo sing "Me llaman la Primorosa" from Giménez'  El Barbero de Sevilla.  This was a most apt showpiece for Ms. Trujillo's bright and well supported coloratura as well as for her ability to give herself totally to the character. There was a charming duet with the voice of the piano that we relished.

Costa Rican baritone Kevin Godínez gave us a powerful yet nuanced performance of "Junto al puente de la Peña" from Serrano's La Canción del Olvido, approaching his character with requisite confidence and presence.

Cuban soprano Evelyn Saavedra in a smashing red gown with a red flower in her hair and fan in hand created the character of a woman with two suitors in the well known "De España vengo" from Carné's El Niño Judio. Her splendid voice was matched by her acting and Hispanic presence.

In the Lieder Division, we were happy to reacquaint ourselves with baritone Gregory Feldmann and soprano Yvette Keong. Ms. Keong recreated the "Beautiful Dreamer" of Stephen Foster's masterpiece with effective word coloration. We loved her expressiveness and the naturalness of her gestures as well as the bright clear top and fine vibrato. Excellent enunciation made every word clear, a feature that is generally missing in sung English.

Mr. Feldmann delighted us with "Auf Der Brücke".  We can never get enough Schubert and Mr. Feldmann's unforced tone and dynamic variation did justice to the lied. The major/minor shifts were handled sensitively with different coloration and the German diction was perfect.

In the General Division, mezzo-soprano Shannon Keegan performed "Ô petite étoile" from Chabrier's opéra bouffe-- L'étoile, a charmer if we ever heard one. The aria has a delicate piano introduction but calls for the singer to crescendo into a powerful position. Ms. Keegan's voice has a most interesting texture and she used her personality to create a charming character. Her onstage poise was apparent when she gracefully silenced a premature applauder and continued the aria. It was a lovely moment.

We suppose every opera lover already knows the "legend" that Mozart wrote "Come scoglio" in Cosi fan tutte for a soprano he abhorred and deliberately made it challenging to defeat her.  We don't know if that is true or not but we do know that soprano Teresa Perrotta was undefeated! Oh, those challenging skips and demanding coloratura were no match for this brave Fiordiligi. We hope to see her this summer when we will be reviewing Santa Fe Opera.

Perhaps "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" is one of Erich Korngold's most famous arias. Baritone Eleomar Cuello filled "Pierrot's Tanzlied" from Die tote Stadt with longing and nostalgia by means of an emotional vibrato. He swelled to a powerful climax, sustained the mood throughout the piano interlude, and ended with a gorgeous pianissimo.

Eric Ferring's arresting quality is a sweet unforced tenor tone with beautifully floated top notes. Although several of the awardees sang two selections which we have insufficient space to discuss, we must mention Mr. Ferring's contrasting choices. The even legato of the tormented De Grieux from Massenet's Manon, sung in true Gallic style, was contrasted with a fiery performance of "Il tuo sangue" from Handel's Ariodante. The fioritura was cleanly articulated and was the perfect invigorating end to this thrilling concert.

Collaborative pianists were Arlene Shrut and Mary Pinto about whom we have nothing but good things to say.

What a pleasure to have this competition back!  Such a benefit for these highly gifted young singers and such a thrill for us opera lovers.

© meche kroop

GERDA LISSNER WINNERS CONCERT

Collaborative Pianist Arlene Shrut and winners of the Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Song Competition

Young singers need all the help they can get in building their careers and the Gerda Lissner Foundation is unmatched in this role. There are yearly competitions for both opera and for song, with generous awards for the winners. Being present to hear these young artists in concert after the competitions is a special treat. It's an even tastier treat to witness their development as they achieve the fame they deserve. When we have time to read bios of successful singers we cannot fail to notice how many of them have begun their success by winning these competitions.

Friday's recital of 2019 winners presented ten young singers of great promise, all accompanied by the legendary collaborative pianist Arlene Shrut who matches her accompaniment to the special skills of each young artist and also takes into account the great variety of material they choose to present. Every singer was superb, each in a different way.

Tenor Eric Finbarr Carey had us trembling in our seat with a searing performance of Schubert's "Der Erlkönig". Goethe's text is tragic and dramatic; in contrast with so much contemporary poetry, it does beg to be set to music. What we look for in an effective performance is good storytelling. This means that the singer must play the part of the narrator with neutral coloring. When the story quotes the father, he must darken and age the coloration; when he quotes the child, he must lighten and whiten the color; and when he voices the titular Erlkönig he must begin seductively and end horrifically. Mr. Carey held us spellbound, sustaining the tension throughout a pause before the final grim "tod"!

Baritone Jonathan McCullough struck us as a complete artist with a mature round sound that conveyed everything one could possibly say about a man watching his beloved marry someone else. Mahler based this song (the first lied of his cycle Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen) on Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of folk poetry. Beginning in the mournful key of D-minor, it makes a brief excursion into a verse in the major mode as the poet witnesses the joys of nature. Then it sinks back into minor, since his grief blocks his appreciation of these joys. Mr. McCullough illuminated every nuance.

Soprano Monica Dewey injected Rachmaninoff's "Noch'yu v sadu u menya" with an anguished coloration that was deeply affecting. With brilliant tone she sang of a weeping willow and a sad girl. It was the last song Rachmaninoff wrote before leaving Russia and perhaps that it why he chose that sad story.

Coloratura soprano Alexia Mate selected a French song that was well chosen to show off her bright tone, her lovely French, and her flexibility. Dell'Acqua's "Villanelle" offers a lovely legato passage and some challenging staccato passages with trills and arpeggi, all successfully negotiated. There were also some melismatic passages. Mentally, we cast Ms. Mate as Queen of the Night! Sometimes,we just cannot keep from extrapolating from a sole performance to a singer's future.

With the kind of German diction one only hears from a native born German singer, Dennis Chmelensky gave a perfect performance of Schubert's "Willkommen und Abschied", the setting of a text by Goethe. Schubert's music and Mr. Chmelensky's singing gave us all the anticipation and fulfillment and also the pain of parting. He made good use of variation of tempo and dynamics to tell the tale. We sincerely believe that any singer who wants to sing lieder should master a few of Schubert's prodigious output of over 600 songs.

Tenor Alec Carlson has a sizable voice with the right weight and intensity to convey the despair of "Der Atlas", one of Schubert's more morose songs. This one is a setting of a text by Heinrich Heine and, although it is not among our favorite Schubert songs, Mr. Carlson's dramatic delivery put us right in the middle of Atlas' burdensome task.

Baritone Dongwei Shen made a daring choice of singing a Chinese song by Zaiyi Lu called "Overlooking my Homeland". Most Americans lack a frame of reference for an appreciation of this eminently singable language and the Chinese penchant for the retention of melody. No 12-tone serialism for them, thank goodness! The song offered opportunities for emotional connection which Mr. Chen conveyed successfully by means of vocal color, gesture, and dynamics. 

There was no translation but as we listened we felt pain and longing in our heart for something we were about to lose. After the concert, we asked Mr. Shen about the meaning of the song and it is about life passing by us. What a mark of success for a singer to convey such meaning in another language. Incidentally, we had a similar experience once in Bhutan of knowing what a song was about. Oh, the miracle of music!

Another baritone, Sung Shin, chose to sing Tosti's "L'ultima canzone", another song about a man losing his sweetheart. It's our favorite Tosti song because we love the alternation of moods and melodies in the verses; this feature gave Mr. Shin an opportunity to show off his impressive artistry. His instrument has an appealing tweedy texture and his Italianate vowels were scented with garlic. He shaped his phrases with great artistry, making use of occasional rubato. There was also some nice melismatic singing on "ah". We loved it!

Mezzo-soprano Erin Wagner's selection was the final one of Barber's Hermit Songs--"The Desire for Hermitage". The cycle is a setting of songs from Irish monasteries written down between the 8th and 13th c. We confess that these are not our favorite songs, although we do like the tranquil "The Monk and His Cat", the slightly irreverent "The Heavenly Banquet", and the short but bawdy "Promiscuity". But Ms. Wagner's choice was of a more ascetic bent, although we picked up a subtext of spiritual fervor. She sang it well and had a beautiful ringing top. Still, we would like to hear her sing in a different language.

Mezzo-soprano Anastasiia Sidorova, whom we just heard at a concert of winners of the Premiere Opera Foundation Competition, sang a beautiful song by Rimsky-Korsakov called "The Clouds Begin to Scatter", the setting of text by Pushkin. Ms. Sidorova, as we noted in our review a couple days ago, has a lovely instrument that she knows how to use. If only she could loosen up and use her body! We hoped that singing in her own language would work to her advantage but were a bit disappointed. We wanted more connection with the audience as well as more connection with the song. We hope that someone at her conservatory will work with her on this; it's like a pot on the stove with all good ingredients that just needs some heat to release the aromas and flavors! Tap into your Russian passion Anastasiia! Go for it!

Host for the evening was the engaging Midge Woolsey who introduced each singer and told us the theme of the song after it was sung. We would have preferred the description before it was sung.

The concert was produced in association with the Liederkranz Foundation.

© meche kroop

GERDA LISSNER FOUNDATION

An embarrassment of riches--Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition Winners

Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Gerda Lissner Foundation, young vocal talent is spotted and successful careers are launched. Over two million dollars has been awarded to about 500 young artists.  This year's winners were culled from approximately 400 applicants and were astonishing in their talent.

The competition winners' recital, an annual event, was graciously hosted by Brian Kellow who introduced the honoree, no less an artist than star soprano Deborah Voigt. We were happy to hear Stephen De Maio, President of the Foundation, acknowledged and described as "a best friend to young artists".

And what a group of young artists we heard yesterday! As is our wont, we will not distinguish between levels of prizes. There were a number of features that were common to all the winners; they were all well-prepared, poised, and totally committed to what they were singing. There are difficulties in jumping into an aria without staging, makeup, and costumes. The singer must use only voice and gesture to bring the audience into the aria.

The Liederkranz Foundation is now associated with the Gerda Lissner Foundation and awarded  prizes to tenor Kevin Ray and to soprano Amber Daniel. Mr. Ray's performance of "Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond" from Wagner's Die Walküre was delivered with a dark color but warm feeling. Somehow Mr. Ray managed to convey Siegmund's sorrowful backstory lurking behind the sudden joy of reuniting with his twin sister.  And that's artistry! We were hoping that the gloomy weather outside would yield to Spring but no such luck!

Ms. Daniel's "Dich, teure Halle" from Wagner's Tannhäuser was delivered with joyful abandon and a powerful ringing tone. Her German diction was excellent.

The Liederkranz Foundation does not just support Wagnerian singers. They also awarded a prize to Sean Michael Plumb whose baritone has impressed judges in several other competitions.  He performed "Bella siccome un angelo" from Donizetti's Don Pasquale and sold it to the audience just as successfully as Dr. Malatesta sold his "sister" to the eponymous hero of the opera. He produced a rich sound and a most dynamic presence as he waxed rhapsodic over "Sofronia".

There was a lot more bel canto on the program, to our delight. The long lyric lines Bellini wrote for Amina in "Care Compagne" from La Sonnambula were gracefully handled by the lovely soprano Hyesang Park; her fine voice and technique served this ingenue role perfectly.

Another modest bel canto heroine is Angelina in Rossini's La Cenerentola and mezzo-soprano Aleksandra Romano performed her final aria "Nacqui all'affanno...Non piu mesta"; she exhibited a true mezzo quality that opened beautifully at the top. The cabaletta could only be described as exciting.

Rossini's other mezzo heroine Rosina in "Il barbiere di Siviglia" is not so modest; she is as spunky as a 19th c. girl could be, and Samantha Hankey used her personality and her smoky sound to fine effect. The embellishments to the line were quite wonderful.

Tenor Fanyong Du exhibited fine Italianate technique as he tackled Bellini's stretched out line in "A Te, O Cara" from I Puritani. With his somewhat grainy tone he managed to invest the aria with profound romantic feeling and evinced superb dynamic control and an impressive legato.

Bass-baritone Pawel Konik engaged us completely with his delivery of "Aleko's cavatina" from the Rachmaninoff opera of the same name. His tone is warm with a pleasant resonance throughout his entire range. He delivered a beautifully modulated crescendo and not a hint of burliness.

We had hoped to hear some more Russian from soprano Antonina Chehovska but once we heard her "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's Louise, any hint of disappointment melted away. With gorgeous French she floated her top notes and won our admiration with a beautifully sustained pianissimo.

There was more French to be enjoyed. Soprano Alexa Jarvis did well by Gounod in "Air des bijoux" from Faust. Her voice sparkled like the gems that so impressed Marguerite and the performance dazzled us with authenticity.

Baritone Kidon Choi performed the beautiful "Vision Fugitive" from Massenet's Hérodiade and our first thought was "Verdi baritone in his future". We heard a lot of depth and breadth, especially in the lower register, and some quite lovely phrasing.

There was only one Verdi aria on the program but not for a baritone. Tenor Kang Wang sang Alfredo's Act II aria "De' miei bollenti spiriti" from La Traviata, with a most attractive sound and ebullient spirit.

Finally, we heard three Puccini arias. D'Ana Lombard drew us into "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" from La bohème. The modesty and lovely tone were just right for the character.

Although not at all adjacent on the program, her counterpart Rodolfo has an aria in the same act--"Che gelida manina" and tenor Galeano Salas performed it with his sizable warm instrument and Italianate sound, creating a most believable character with voice and gesture.

Finally, we were delighted by tenor Andrew Stenson's performance of Rinuccio's aria "Firenze è come un albero fiorito" from Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Stenson was just bursting with personality and employed his fine instrument with such gusto that we could indeed visualize everything he was describing about this beautiful city.

We couldn't imagine a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than by hearing such a wide variety of talent--each one with his/her own special gifts, each one on a different pathway which we hope will bring them all fame and fortune.

Piano accompaniment was provided by Arlene Shrut and Jonathan Kelly.

(c) meche kroop

A GERDA LISSNER CELEBRATION

WHAT A GROUP OF ARTISTS!!!

Yesterday's recital of winners of The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition offered immeasurable delights. Somehow it felt more like a celebration than a recital. We celebrate the largess of the foundation that awarded a most generous $238,000 this year to 17 young artists who were chosen from among the 330 who auditioned.

We celebrate the rapid ascent of these dedicated young singers who put in so much time and effort to share their love of opera with the grateful audience.  And we also celebrate the fact that we are a community, a family of opera lovers who can gather together and share our joy.

The host for the evening was Brian Kellow, Features Editor of Opera News. The well-loved Diana Soviero presented a lifetime achievement award to Lenore Rosenberg who, among many other gifts, is a fine judge of competitions worldwide.  She spoke briefly but every word she said was valuable and we wish to quote her.

What she said was "It's not the kind of voice a person has but the kind of person who has the voice." She spoke about the balance among vocal quality, technique, and expressiveness.  She spoke about the single mindedness that makes for success in this difficult field.  The ones who make it are those who never consider an alternative career. They sing because they must.  That's what they do! She gave us a lot to think about and we are grateful for it.

We heard sixteen singers in a space of two hours and, although everyone was at least good and most were excellent, a few stood out for various reasons. Sometimes it's someone we've never heard. Sometimes it's someone we have been writing about for several years and have always loved. And sometimes it's someone who has made great strides since we heard them last.

The first singer who comes to mind is Mingjie Lei. And why? Because his delivery of "Una furtiva lagrima" produced una furtiva lagrima in our eye! We have heard Donizetti's star-making aria from L'Elisir d'Amore countless times but never felt such an identification with Nemorino.  Mr. Lei's Nemorino didn't come across as a doofus but as a very real person who is about to realize his deepest dream. We saw the situation through his very eyes.

Soprano Kiri Deonarine dazzled our ears with "The Bell Song" from Delibes' Lakme. It was the sheer force of her technique coupled with a singular coloratura instrument that blew us away. Such pinpoint accuracy in her wild flights into the stratosphere! Such perfectly executed trills and scales and fioritura !

Marina Costa-Jackson impressed us with her versatility. We have reviewed her often and love the generous amplitude of her voice, her assurance onstage and the way she slips into her character as she did into that of Amelia in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. The sad aria "Morró, ma prima in grazia" affected us deeply.

Bass Patrick Guetti tackled the severity of "Il lacerato spirito" from Verdi's Simone Boccanegra with aplomb and fearlessness. The note he ended on, at the very bottom of his register, was unforgettable. He is still very young for a bass and has enormous potential.

We admired baritone Jared Bybee's Rodrigo in "Io morro" from Verdi's Don Carlo.  The sense of dying for a higher purpose came through clearly in his stunning performance.

Baritone John Viscardi threw himself into Figaro's "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia and used the entire stage and his ample dramatic skills to create a complex character overwhelmed by his own busyness. (Oh, how we could relate!)

Lovely mezzo-soprano J'nai Bridges brought out all the delicacy of "O ma lyre immortelle" from Gounod's Sapho. She has a wonderful instrument that she employs judiciously, carefully modulating both volume and color.

We loved the gracious phrasing baritone Jarrett Lee Ott brought to "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from Korngold's Die Tote Stadt. We understood every single word of his flawless German diction.

Soprano Nicole Hazlett made the perfect fairy godmother in Massenet's Cendrillon. Her "Ah! douce enfant" was shimmery and ethereal.

Soprano Kirsten Mackinnon filled the air with chills and thrills as she performed the "Jewel Song" from Gounod's Faust.  Her French diction was excellent, even at the top. We do so love good coloratura!

Bass Wei Wu gave a solid rendition of the stately "O Isis und Osiris" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte.  His sizable voice filled the hall and sounded far more impressive than it did yesterday in the small recital hall of the American Opera Center.

Baritone Michael Adams is a stage animal--totally assured with both the Russian language and with his character Tomsky from Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame. We look forward to hearing him at the Santa Fe Opera this summer.

Baritone Reginald Smith Jr. stood out for his convincing performance as The Emperor Jones in the eponymous opera by Gruenberg.

We have not distinguished between the various levels of prizes awarded. That information is available elsewhere and matters little to us. What matters to us is the opportunity to share a glorious experience with our fellow opera lovers.

(c) meche kroop