The Dallas Opera and The Dallas Opera Guild
Are Proud to Jointly Announce the Outstanding Young Semi-Finalists
of the 28th Annual “Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition”
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Admission $5! Lexus Red Parking $5!
Audience Members Vote on “People’s Choice”
Visit www.dallasopera.org/vocal
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FREE Semi-Finals: Friday, April 29, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
Finals: Saturday, April 30, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Incorporated into This Year’s Spring Gala!
Conducted by Music Director Emmanuel Villaume
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The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
At the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
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Honoring Linda and John Gage
DALLAS, FEBRUARY 2, 2016 –Twenty of the finest young opera singers in the United States will be competing in the 28th Annual Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition presented, jointly, by The Dallas Opera and The Dallas Opera Guild.
These talented artists will compete April 29 & 30, 2016 for thousands of dollars in prize money and coveted honors including the “People’s Choice Award” selected by audience ballot.
The evolution of the recently expanded Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition (“Still Bigger Than Texas”) continues in 2016, as the Finals Round will now be incorporated—for the very first time—into the company’s glamorous Spring Gala!
Patrons will have the option of attending the free Semi-Finals Round on April 29th, the complete Gala evening on April 30th, the Finals Round and Awards Ceremony alone on April 30th, or the Finals Round, Awards Ceremony and the post-performance party!
Tickets range from free (for the April 29th Semi-Finals) to $5 for the Finals Round and Awards Ceremony (available online at dallasopera.org/vocal), to $500 for the entire gala evening, including a seated, gourmet, pre-competition dinner at 5:30 p.m., the vocal competition Finals Round at 7:30 p.m., and the festive post-competition celebration on stage in the Winspear Opera House.
For more information on the 2016 Spring Gala, visit dallasopera.org/gala or contact Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.
With a renewed focus on encouraging the next generation of opera artists and audiences, proceeds from this stellar evening will go to support the many education programs of The Dallas Opera.
Two great Dallas Opera traditions will be united after more than a quarter of a century, to create one truly remarkable evening of music, competition and celebration! It is certain to be an affair—and a weekend—you won’t want to miss!
“It will be difficult to top the gathering of exceptional young talent that will command center stage in the Guild’s 28th annual vocal competition,” explains The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO, Keith Cerny. “Many of them, graduates of the world’s most prestigious opera and young artist programs, conservatories and academies; and all of them showing tremendous promise.
“I am also extremely pleased that, with the energetic leadership of Dr. Brian Zeger from Juilliard, we have been able to assemble such a distinguished panel of industry leaders and decision makers to judge this exciting event, making it a unique showcase for artists ready to take their careers to a higher level.”
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This year, the twenty semi-finalists were selected from a group of 336 applicants from 39 states (residents of the U.S. territories are eligible to apply for the prestigious competition, as well) by a panel of preliminary judges that included Dr. Brian Zeger, Dallas Opera Artistic Administrator Ian Derrer, and Assistant Artistic Administrator and Special Projects David Lomeli.
These gifted young singers will compete throughout the weekend of April 29-30, 2016, beginning with the Semi-Finals Round at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 29th (General Admission is free, Winspear Opera House parking is $5) in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
Finalists will be chosen to return the following evening, Saturday, April 30th at 7:30 p.m., to perform with the full Dallas Opera Orchestra, conducted by internationally acclaimed Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume.
“These competitors are from the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the San Francisco Opera Merola Program, and young artist programs in Los Angeles, Chicago, Santa Fe, Houston, and St. Louis—to name a few!” notes Dallas Opera Guild 2016 Vocal Competition Chair Ketty Fitzgerald.
“The incredible success of last year’s vocal competition still warms our hearts; the glowing comments, the generous support, and the sincere congratulations. All of this is reflected in the extraordinary caliber of applicants who applied to take part in 2016—the best of the best!”
“I am very proud to collaborate with our Guild on the expanded competition,” adds Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO Keith Cerny. “This is an outstanding opportunity for the entire community to experience opera’s ‘next wave’ and to show their enthusiasm and support for the hopes and dreams of these deserving young artists.”
THE 2016 SEMI-FINALISTS FOR THE DALLAS OPERA GUILD VOCAL COMPETITION
Elizabeth Baldwin, soprano, 34, Merola, Ravinia, Virginia Opera, Tanglewood
Helena Brown, mezzo-soprano, age 27, young artist at Des Moines, Chautauqua
Nicholas Brownlee, bass-baritone, 26, winner, Met Opera Nat. Council Auditions
Jessica Rose Cambio, soprano, 33, Richard Tucker, George London, Gerda Lissner
Brandon Cedel, bass-baritone, age 28, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
Martin Clark, Jr., tenor, age 23, Dallas Opera Education and Outreach programs
César Delgado, tenor, age 29, Plácido Domingo’s NY Master Class, Mannes
Sol Jin, baritone, 29, winner, Licia Albanese, Gerda Lissner, Merola Program
Adam Lau, bass, age 31, winner of George London Competition, Merola Opera Program
Stephanie Lauricella, mezzo-soprano, 31, young artist programs at Santa Fe, Pittsburgh
D’Ana Lombard, soprano, 28, Domingo-Colburn-Stein Program, HGO Studio
Alexandra Loutsion, soprano, age 32, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap, Central City,
Daniel Miroslaw, bass, age 29, Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts at The Juilliard School
Emmett O’Hanlon, baritone, age 25, Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts at Juilliard
Amy Owens, soprano, age 28, Sullivan Award winner, young artist at Wolf Trap, Utah
Karolina N. Pilou, mezzo-soprano, 32, NY Lyric Opera Comp., Gerda Lissner
Carolyn Sproule, mezzo-soprano, age 27, Houston Grand Opera, Met Opera
Sarah Tucker, soprano, 27, semifinalist, Met Opera Nat. Council Auditions, Arizona
Virginie Verrez, mezzo-soprano, 26, winner, Met Opera Nat. Council Auditions
Kang Wang, tenor, age 27, Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Program
There is no admission charge for attending the Semi-Finals Round of the 28th annual competition (although donations are definitely welcome), and admission to the Finals Round is a nominal $5 per person.
Lexus Red Parking is available for just $5 at both the Semi-Finals Round, from 11:00 AM until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29th and the Finals Round of the competition the following evening, Saturday, April 30th at 7:30 p.m.
The list of judges for the 2016 vocal competition reads like a Classical Music and Opera Management “Who’s Who”:
Judges for the 2016 Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition:
Brian Zeger, Chair
Executive Director for the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera and Artistic Director of Juilliard’s Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts
Keith Cerny
Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera
Emmanuel Villaume
Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, The Dallas Opera
Ian Derrer
Artistic Administrator, The Dallas Opera
Alain Lanceron
President, Warner Classics
Aidan Lang
General Director, Seattle Opera
Leonore Rosenberg
Associate Artistic Administrator, The Metropolitan Opera
Joshua Winograde
Senior Director, Artistic Planning, Los Angeles Opera
Diane Zola
Director of Artistic Administration, Houston Grand Opera
However, the judging isn’t left entirely to the professionals; “amateur” music lovers will have the opportunity to express their views, too. Audience participation is part of the fun at each year’s Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition. For the seventeenth consecutive year, attendees will be given the chance to vote on their personal favorites for the “People’s Choice” award.
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This year’s competition honors former Dallas Opera Director of Production John Gage and his wife, Linda, for their long and faithful service to the company and the Greater Dallas community. Both are Lifetime Honorary Members of The Dallas Opera Guild.
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“Previous vocal competitions have been quite noteworthy for spotlighting incredible young talent, and it’s been such an honor for The Dallas Opera Guild’s membership to be involved in their production,” says Dallas Opera Guild Co-President Mac Irwin. “With last year’s transformation to include rising opera singers from all fifty U.S. states and territories, the level of competition and excitement has increased—exponentially!”
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“The Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition offered much-needed career and financial support at a crucial time in my life,” says Jennifer Black (First Prize, People’s Choice award, 2001). “I had just completed my studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, as well as my first summer with San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program, and was on my way to The Yale School of Music.
“The chance to participate in this competition was a real ‘vote of confidence’ that encouraged me to continue on this path I had chosen. I feel blessed to have been a recipient of the Guild’s generous support.”
For tickets or additional information about the 28th Annual Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, please contact The Dallas Opera Guild at 214-443-1040 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/vocal.
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SPECIAL THANKS TO THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND STAFF
FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE
2016 DALLAS OPERA GUILD VOCAL COMPETITION
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “FEBRUARY AT THE DALLAS OPERA”
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG
For high-resolution digital photographs suitable for print
To arrange an interview or obtain additional information
Please contact
Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and Public Relations
214.443.1014 or suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager
214-443-1071 or celeste.hart@dallasopera.org.
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2015-2016 SEASON SPONSOR FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “SEEKING THE HUMAN ELEMENT” SEASON
Ticket Information for the 2015-2016 Dallas Opera Season
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise described. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.