Brandon Cedel News

After an intense semi-final round of competition, the Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of ten finalists who will sing on the Met stage in the 2013 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 p.m., with the MET Orchestra conducted by Marco Armiliato. The auditions, which are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, have been an important stepping stone in the career of many of the opera world's leading artists. 20 gifted young singers from around the country arrived in New York on Thursday afternoon to prepare for today's semi-final round, in which they sang on the Met stage for the first time in their careers before a panel of judges. After deliberations, the panel has narrowed the field to ten singers who will move to the final phase of the competition.

Twenty young singers who won regional competitions around the United States will come to New York to sing on the Met stage in the semi-finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The Met Auditions, this year celebrating their 60th anniversary, are a major stepping stone to a career as an opera singer and were crucial in introducing many of today's best-known stars, such as Renee Fleming, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Samuel Ramey, Deborah Voigt, and Dolora Zajick.

Over three days of preliminary auditions today, February 25 through the 27th, 2013, approximately 90 of the best young American and Canadian opera singers will compete to reach the final round of the 42nd annual George London Foundation Awards Competition.

The LA Phil's Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy continues with The Marriage of Figaro with sets designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and costumes by legendary couturier Azzedine Alaia. Joining Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in this fully staged production is a stellar cast of internationally renowned soloists:

Over three days of preliminary auditions on February 25-27, 2013, approximately 90 of the best young American and Canadian opera singers will compete to reach the final round of the 42nd annual George London Foundation Awards Competition.

Gotham Chamber Opera continues its 2012-2013 Season with ELIOGABALO (1667) by Francesco Cavalli. The show will run from March 15-29, 2013 at 8pm at The Box, 189 Chrystie Street, NYC. Tickets are $30-$250 and are available on www.ticketcentral.com or by phone at 212-279-4200. Eliogabalo will be performed on Friday, March 15; Tuesday, March 19; Thursday, March 21; Saturday, March 23; Tuesday, March 26; and Friday, March 29.

Gotham Chamber Opera continues its 2012-2013 Season with ELIOGABALO (1667) by Francesco Cavalli. The show will run from March 15-29, 2013 at 8pm at The Box, 189 Chrystie Street, NYC. Tickets are $30-$175 and are available on www.ticketcentral.com or by phone at 212-279-4200.

Gotham Chamber Opera continues its 2012-2013 Season with ELIOGABALO (1667) by Francesco Cavalli. The show will run from March 15-29, 2013 at 8pm at The Box, 189 Chrystie Street, NYC. Tickets are $30-$175 and are available on www.ticketcentral.com or by phone at 212-279-4200.

Gotham Chamber Opera announces its 2012-2013 season of three productions, featuring two site-specific works. The season begins with GOTHAM @ LPR: ORIENTALE on October 1 and 3, 2012 at (Le) Poisson Rouge and continues with the New York Premiere of Francesco Cavalli's ELIOGABALO(1667) from March 15-29, 2013 at The Box, staged by James Marvel. The season will conclude in June with a production of Daniel Catán's 1988 opera, LA HIJA DE RAPPACCINI (Rappaccini's Daughter), in site-specific venues.

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation today announced that lyric soprano Ailyn Pérez is the winner of the 2012 Richard Tucker Award.

The winners of the 41st annual George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers were announced at the conclusion of the competition's final round this evening, which took place in a front of a capacity audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.

The Opera Orchestra of New York continues its 41st season with an opera-in-concert performance of Wagner's Rienzi conducted by Music Director Laureate, Eve Queler at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. The opera, based on the life of Cola di Rienz (1313-1354), the Italian medieval politician and popular leader of the Roman people whose goal was to transform society by raising the power of the people, stars tenor Ian Storey in the title role, with soprano Elisabete Matos as Irene and mezzo-soprano Geraldine Chauvet in her US debut as Adriano. All three artists will be making their Opera Orchestra of New York debuts.

Opera Index presents its 2011 Distinguished Achievement Award to two pioneering Metropolitan Opera artists-tenor George Shirley and posthumously to the late mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett-at its 27th annual black-tie winter gala on Sunday, January 16. The gala begins at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Grand Salon of the Jumeirah Essex House, the luxury hotel on Central Park South, following a reception in the Petit Salon. The awards will be presented by bass-baritone Spiro Malas. Last year's Distinguished Achievement Award recipient was soprano Patrice Munsel.

Opera Index presents its 2011 Distinguished Achievement Award to two pioneering Metropolitan Opera artists-tenor George Shirley and posthumously to the late mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett-at its 27th annual black-tie winter gala on Sunday, January 16. The gala begins at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Grand Salon of the Jumeirah Essex House, the luxury hotel on Central Park South, following a reception in the Petit Salon. The awards will be presented by bass-baritone Spiro Malas. Last year's Distinguished Achievement Award recipient was soprano Patrice Munsel.