Lucas Meachem wins San Francisco Opera's Emerging Artist Award

Lucas Meachem in Marriage of Figaro (left) and showing off his "guns" in Dresden

Barihunk Lucas Meachem has won the San Francisco Opera inaugural "Emerging Star of the Year" competition. The competition was made possible by The Emerging Stars Fund, established through a three-year, multi-million dollar gift from San Francisco Opera sponsors Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem. Meachem will be awarded $10,000.

The goal of the Emerging Stars Fund is to engage the community in the thrill of experiencing artists on the cusp of greatness, and to build awareness among the broader opera-going public of San Francisco Opera's leadership in nurturing and showcasing new talent.

Meachem is a former participant in the Merola Opera Program and Adler Fellows, both programs associated closely with the development of young artists at the company. He has appeared with San Francisco Opera in the title role of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, Mozart's Papageno in Die Zauberflöte,  Mozart's Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro and Fritz/Frank in Korngold’s Die tote Stadt.

Lucas Meachem sings "Sois immobile" from Rossini's William Tell:

He returns to the company this year as Doctor Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, which he performs on September 28 and October 2, 12, and 15. He will rotate the role with another emerging artist from the company, barihunk Edward Nelson, who also has been part of the Merola Opera Program and is a current Adler Fellow. Nelson performs on October 4 and 7. Tickets and cast information is available online.

The voting was conducted online and through social media. Other singers who were considered included soprano Malin Byström, mezzo Sasha Cooke, soprano Leah Crocetto, tenor Michael Fabiano, tenor Brian Jagde, mezzo Daniela Mack, baritone Brian Mulligan, tenor Alek Shrader and soprano Heidi Stober.