Nebraska Metropolitan Opera Auditions to be Held January 23rd

The Opera Stars of tomorrow will compete Saturday, January 23 at 10:00 A.M. in O’Donnell Auditorium on the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Hundreds of aspiring young singers enter these auditions each year with the goal of operatic stardom. Winners in Lincoln go on to the regional competition in Minneapolis and possibly on to the final rounds in New York City.

Big operatic names such as Renee Fleming, Thomas Hampson, Samuel Ramey and Deborah Voigt are products of this competition.

“The Nebraska Auditions have a record thirty applications this year. We welcome each and every one.  We no longer have geographic restrictions so  they are from all over the country” said Marjorie Hewitt, Co-President of The Nebraska Metropolitan Auditions Committee.

Judges include: Christopher Hunt, festival director and opera administrator and Professor Of Arts Administration at Indiana University; Brian Dickie, former General Administrator of The Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Artistic Director of The Rexford Festival, General Director of The Canadian Opera Theater and General Director of The Chicago Opera Theater; Hal France, former Artistic Director of Opera Omaha, Music Director of The Orlando Philharmonic, Associate Conductor of The Houston Opera and Executive Director of Museum Kuneko.

Each performer will sing two arias or more if requested by the judges. Mrs.Hewitt encourages everyone to attend. There is no admission charge.