Stephen Costello wins the 2009 Richard Tucker Award

We are pleased to announce that tenor Stephen Costello is the winner of the Richard Tucker Award from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. Yesterday, the Foundation issued a press release saying:

RICHARD TUCKER MUSIC FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2009 GRANTS AND RICHARD TUCKER AWARD

TENOR STEPHEN COSTELLO RECEIVES 2009 RICHARD TUCKER AWARD. AWARD CARRIES $30,000 CASH PRIZE.
Tenor Stephen Costello, 27, is the winner of the 2009 Richard Tucker Award, a $30,000 prize given by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation recognizing an American singer poised on the edge of a major international opera career.

Described as the “Heisman Trophy of Opera,” the Richard Tucker Award is chosen by a distinguished panel of opera professionals. Named in honor of the great American tenor, the Richard Tucker Award has been given since 1978 and previous recipients have included Renée Fleming, Deborah Voigt, David Daniels, Stephanie Blythe, Joyce DiDonato, Matthew Polenzani, and Lawrence Brownlee.

Barry Tucker, President of the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, said “We are really thrilled to give this award to Stephen, who is blessed with a wonderful voice, charisma, and real musical artistry and imagination. I know he will make the Foundation very proud as he makes his career.”

Stephen Costello reacted to the award with these words: “It is a privilege to win an award bearing the name of Richard Tucker, who set a legendary standard of excellence for more than three decades. And it is both humbling and awe-inspiring to be numbered among the past winners. I would like to express my immense gratitude to the Foundation and my sincere intention to do my best to honor the musical legacy of Richard Tucker.”

Stephen Costello, a Philadelphia native, made his Metropolitan Opera debut on opening night 2007 as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor and is currently singing Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, a role he will also sing at the Festival dei due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy this summer and at Covent Garden in the fall. Other upcoming engagements include Carlo in Linda di Chamonix at Covent Garden (which will be recorded by Opera Rara,) Roméo in Roméo et Juliette for San Diego Opera, Edgardo in Lucia di Lamermoor with Montreal Opera, Camille in The Merry Widow for his debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Rodolfo in La bohème with Deutsche Opera Berlin and Cincinnati Opera, and Ishmael in the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick for Dallas Opera. Debuts in San Francisco, Glyndebourne and Vienna and a return to the Met on opening night of 2011 are already scheduled. Recent engagements have included the title role of Roberto Devereux for Dallas Opera, Rigoletto in Ancona, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Michigan Opera Theater, Alfredo in La traviata with Florida Grand Opera and Cassio in Otello at the Salzburg Festival under Riccardo Muti.

A graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Stephen performed such roles as Rodolfo, Nemorino, Ferrando in Così fan tutte and the Duke in Rigoletto while at AVA. He made his Opera Orchestra of New York debut in Guillaume Tell and his professional stage debut as Rodolfo with Fort Worth Opera. He won First Prize in the 2006 George London Foundation Competition and First Prize in the Albanese Foundation Competition.

Stephen was the winner of a 2006 Sara Tucker Study Grant and a 2007 Richard Tucker Career Grant.

Bryan Hymel Awarded Top Prize in 2009 Gerda Lissner Competition

Tenor Bryan Hymel has been awarded the Top Prize in the 2009 Gerda Lissner Competition, which carries a cash award of $15,000. Mr. Hymel was also the winner of last year's Zachary Society, Licia Albanese/Puccini Foundation, and Giulio Gari Foundation competitions. 

He is currently rehearsing the Prince in Rusalka with Boston Lyric Opera, which opens on March 20th. Following engagements this season include a return to Greek National Opera for I Puritani, and his debut at English National Opera as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

Leah Wool Subject of SoundBites in Opera News

Mezzo Soprano Leah Wool is the subject of the SoundBites column in the March edition of Opera News magazine. The article, written by Scott Barnes, discusses Ms. Wool's thoughts on being a singer, and information on her repertoire and upcoming engagements.

You can read the article by clicking here.

For more information on Leah Wool, please visit www.funkhouserartists.com/Leah_Wool.

Jason Stearns to Make Lyric Opera of Chicago Debut

On the heels of his late-notice appearance as Barnaba in La Gioconda at the Metropolitan Opera, Jason Stearns will make his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut later this month, singing the first four performances of Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde (Jan. 27, 31, Feb. 4, and 8). 

Mr. Stearns replaces Finnish bass-baritone Juha Uusitalo, who has withdrawn from all performances of the role. According to a company spokesperson, the singer is recovering from a necessary surgery to remove a cyst in his head.

Tristan und Isolde also stars Deborah Voigt and Clifton Forbis in the title roles and is conducted by Lyric Opera Music Director Sir Andrew Davis. For more information on Jason Stearns, please visit http://www.funkhouserartists.com/Jason_Stearns/.

Elizabeth Futral Featured in City Opera Symposium

New York City Opera's celebration of Samuel Barber’s upcoming centennial will include a Symposium on Antony and Cleopatra on Saturday, January 10, co-presented by and taking place at Miller Theatre at Columbia University, which will feature City Opera soprano Elizabeth Futral in a unique recital of musical depictions and evocations of Cleopatra.

City Opera’s beloved star soprano offers an offbeat piano-vocal recital of musical depictions and evocations of Cleopatra.  The selections, spanning three centuries, include music by Handel, Massenet, the Rolling Stones and Pam Tillis, and the world premiere of a specially-commissioned song by VOX composer Justine Chen. Elizabeth Futral has sung the title roles in Semele, Lakmé, The Ballad of Baby Doe, and Daphne, as well as Gilda in Rigoletto, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Alexandra in Regina and Bella in The Midsummer Marriage for New York City Opera. 

SYMPOSIUM: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Miller Theatre at Columbia University, 2960 Broadway at 116^th Street

Tickets: $20 ($15 for Students/Seniors) | 212-854-7799 | www.millertheatre.com

Elizabeth Futral, First Emperor Cast Nominated for a Grammy

Tan Dun's The First Emperor, which was premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in the 2006-2007 season, has been nominated for a 2009 Grammy in Category 100, "Best Opera Recording". 

The opera, which was conducted by Mr. Dun and stars Ms. Futral and Plácido Domingo, also features Michelle DeYoung, Paul Groves, Wu Hsing-Kuo, and Hao Jiang Tian. Jay David Saks produced the recording, which was released on EMI Classics. 

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 8, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

Daniel Mobbs Appears on The View

Daniel Mobbs will lend his operatic talents to friend Sherri Shepherd and the ladies of The View for a comedic sketch involving Shepherd. The segment will air Monday, October 20th at 11 AM on ABC. Mobbs recorded arias from Le nozze di Figaro, Carmen, and Don Giovanni for the episode.