Houston Grand Opera Announces Winners of 25th
Eleanor McCollum Competition
Three Singers Triumph at Annual
“Concert of Arias”
Houston, TX.—February 8, 2013: Houston Grand Opera announced the winners for the annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers today. 1st Place prize of $10,000 was awarded to bass-­‐baritone Thomas Richards who sang “O Beauty” from Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd and “La calunnia” from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini. 2nd Place prize of $5,000 place was won by soprano Sydney Mancasola. She sang both Richard Strauss’s “Presentation of the Rose" from Der Rosenkavalier and “Par le rang” from The Daughter of the Regiment by Gaetano Donizetti. Ms. Mancasola also won the Audience Choice Award which includes a prize of $1000. 3rd Place prize of $3,000 went to mezzo soprano Sarah Larsen who sang “This Journey” from Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie and "Il m’en souvient” from Hector Berlioz's Beatrice and Benedict. Accompanied by HGO’s Associate Music Director Eric Melear, eight finalists competed; the winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of judges that included HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers and HGO Managing Director Perryn Leech. Serving as guest judge was renowned American composer and HGO Studio co-­‐founder Carlisle Floyd. Thursday evening’s concert was the final event in a months-­‐long process that began in August when six hundred and seven singers applied to compete in the annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. About half of those applicants were selected to audition in the late fall in San Francisco, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, New York, and Houston. Of those, fifteen singers were chosen to compete in the semi-­‐finals held here in Houston starting on Saturday, February 2, and eight singers were advanced to the final round – the annual Concert of Arias. Laura Canning, Director of the HGO Studio noted, “It’s so exciting to introduce such talented young singers to the Houston audience. For many of them, this is their first time on a professional opera stage and the beginning of a lifelong relationship with HGO. I look forward to seeing them back with the company in future years. Mr. Summers continued, “The Houston Grand Opera Studio is renowned worldwide. Before the HGO Studio most young American singers had to go to Europe to gain the experience they needed to build a professional career. But the prestige of this program has grown exponentially. In the studio now, we have artists from Wales, Venezuela, Bulgaria, and as far away as China. It is truly second to none internationally.” Now in its twenty-­‐fifth year, Concert of Arias is one of the most prestigious singing competitions in the United States. Since its inception, over 400 singers have participated in the competition. Many, including Joyce DiDonato, Heidi Stober, Stephanie Blythe, Ana María Martínez, and Ryan McKinny have gone on to pursue successful careers in the United States and internationally. Chaired by Donna and Robert Bruni and honorary chairs Carlisle Floyd and David Gockley, Studio co-­‐founders, evening celebrated the 25th year of the competition with over 600 people attending the special fund-­‐raising dinner that followed the competition in honor of Marianne and David Duthu -­‐ and catered by Jackson and Company. Former Mayor of New York and opera lover Rudy Guiliani was a special guest at the competition. Mr. Summers said, “The event holds a special place in my heart, and I’ve been thrilled to watch it get more successful every year. The Cullen Theater was bursting with friends of the Studio”. The evening began with a champagne reception in the Grand Foyer, underwritten by Jerry and Laura Lasco of Lasco Enterprises. Guests included HGO Board Chair Beth Madison, Honorees Marianne and David Duthu , Chairs Donna and Robert Bruni, Robin Angly and Miles Smith, J. Scott Arnoldy, Philip and Denise Bahr, Janice Barrow, Hon. Peter and Anne S. Brown, Anne and Albert Chao, Bobbie-­‐Vee and Jerry Cooney, Olive Jenney, Anne and John Mendelsohn, Nancy Negley, Cynthia and Anthony Petrello, Dian and Harlan Stai, John G. Turner and Jerry G. Fischer, and Margaret Alkek Williams and Jim Daniel. Mr. Leech paid special tribute to Honorees Marianne and David Duthu, saying, “David and Marianne have steadfastly supported the Concert of Arias and have served together on the Founders' Council for Artistic Excellence since 2009. David has generously given of his time as well. As a board member, he currently serves as Co-­‐Chair of the HGO Studio and Training Committee and a member of the Development Committee. We are thrilled to honor them for their dedication to HGO this evening.” The competition awards were presented by the Methodist Hospital System, the official health care provider for Houston Grand Opera. As the judges made their decisions, prize winners from 2012 Andrea Carroll, Natalya Romaniw, and Peixin Chen, all current HGO Studio members, entertained the audience with “Soave sia il vento” from Mozart’s comic opera Così fan tutte. All proceeds from Concert of Arias 2013 benefit The Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers and Houston Grand Opera Studio’s ongoing outreach efforts to identify, attract, and nurture young artists who have the potential for major careers in opera. 1st place $10,000 Thomas Richards Bass-­‐baritone Thomas Richards, a native of Burnsville, Minnesota, is pursuing an artist diploma at the University of Cincinnati College-­‐Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he completed his master of music degree in 2012. Recent performances at CCM include the role of Dr. Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro, Leporello in Don Giovanni, and Frank Maurrant in Street Scene. He has also sung Colline in La bohème at the Central City Opera Festival and the title role in Gianni Schicchi at George Washington University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. In 2012, he was a winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions at both the district and regional levels and also won the Andrew White Memorial Award at CCM. He will reprise Dr. Bartolo with the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera this summer 2nd place $5,000 and Audience Choice award $1000 Sydney Mancasola Soprano Lyric coloratura Sydney Mancasola is a resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where she has sung Adina in The Elixir of Love, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Melisande in Pelleas and Melisande, and Antonia and Stella in The Tales of Hoffmann. In the summer of 2012, she was an apprentice at The Santa Fe Opera, where she covered the role of Zdenka in Arabella and received the Judith Raskin Memorial Award for Singers. Other recognition in 2012 included a career development grant from the Sullivan Foundation and encouragement awards from the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition and the George London Foundation Competition. She was also a regional finalist and won an encouragement award in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She has performed Adele in Die Fledermaus with the Brevard Music Center; Cunégonde in Candide, Servilia in La clemenza di Tito, and Despina in Così fan tutte with Oberlin Opera Theater and covered Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. This summer, she will sing Young Alyce in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied with Fort Worth Opera. 3rd place winner $3,000 Sarah Larsen Mezzo-­‐soprano Currently a second-­‐year Young Artist with Seattle Opera, mezzo-­‐soprano Sarah Larsen sang Tisbe in La Cenerentola, Mercédès in Carmen, and Suzuki in Madame Butterfly on the Seattle Opera main stage, as well as Giulietta di Kelbar in Un giorno di regno and Charlotte in Werther with the Young Artists Program. She will return to Seattle Opera as the First Tourière in Suor Angelica, Maddalena in Rigoletto, and the Secretary in The Consul. This summer, she will make her house debut with Des Moines Metro Opera as Stéphano in Romeo and Juliet and Dritte Magde in Elektra. Future engagements include a recital in Seattle featuring works by Schumann, Ravel, and Rachmaninoff; a debut with the New York Festival of Song in Song of the Midnight Sun; and the premiere of a new song cycle by Jake Heggie and Gene Sheer titled Farewell, Auschwitz! with Music of Remembrance. She earned degrees at Simpson College and Rice University and has worked with Aspen Opera Theater Center, Sarasota Opera, Virginia Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, and The Santa Fe Opera. She was a member of the Houston Grand Opera Chorus for Cavalleria rusticana, The Elixir of Love, and Lohengrin. Yamaha is the preferred piano of Houston Grand Opera
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Ali Vise, 713-524-0661, [email protected]
High-resolution production photos and head shots can be found at
HoustonGrandOpera.org/press
Username and password: hgopress
Since its inception in 1955, Houston Grand Opera has grown from a small regional organization into an
internationally renowned opera company. HGO enjoys a reputation for commissioning and producing new
works, including forty-eight world premieres and six American premieres since 1973. In addition to producing
and performing world-class opera, HGO contributes to the cultural enrichment of Houston and the nation
through a diverse and innovative program of performances, community events, and education projects that
reaches the widest possible public. HGO has toured extensively, including trips to Europe and Asia, and it is
the only opera company to have won a Tony, two Grammy awards, and two Emmy awards. HGO’s
performances are broadcast nationally and internationally over the WFMT Radio Network, New York City’s
WQXR, the European Broadcasting Union and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Through HGOco, Houston Grand Opera creates opportunities for Houstonians of all ages and backgrounds to
observe, participate in, and create art. Its Song of Houston project is an ongoing initiative to create and share
work based on stories that define the unique character of our city and its diverse cultures. Since 2007, HGOco
has commissioned thirteen new works along with countless innovative community projects, reaching more
than 900,000 people in the greater Houston metropolitan area.