Barihunk Blake Denson was named one of the five winners of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions held today in New York City. He joins mezzo-soprano Gabrielle Beteag, sopranos Denis Vélez and Alexandria Shiner, and tenor Jonah Hoskins as winners of the top cash prize of $15,000 and career-changing exposure.
Denson advanced to the semifinals out of the Midwest Region held in St. Louis, Missouri. A 2018 vocal performance graduate of the University of Kentucky he was a participant in the Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Vocal Academy and is finishing his master's degree at Rice University. This summer he will rejoin the Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artist Program.
Blake Denson sings "Questo amor vergogna mia" from Puccini's Edgar:
This year’s semifinalists were chosen from more than 1,000 singers who participated in auditions held in 40 districts throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, and who then competed in the 12 regional finals. Each finalist sang two arias on the Metropolitan Opera stage in front of a panel of judges from the top opera companies in the world.
Two baritones have reached the finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Blake Denson and
Xiaomeng Zhang will join mezzo-sopranos
Gabrielle Beteag and Lindsay Kate Brown; sopranos Chasiti Lashay, Jana
McIntyre, Alexandria Shiner, and Denis Vélez; as well as tenor Jonah Hoskins.
The final round of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions will take place on the Met stage on March 1, 2020.
This year’s semifinalists were chosen from more than 1,000 singers who
participated in auditions held in 40 districts throughout the United
States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, and who then competed in the 12
regional finals.
The finalist will have a week of training
with Met musical and dramatic coaches to prepare for the Grand Finals
Concert. Each finalist will sing two arias on the Metropolitan Opera
stage. Tenor Javier Camarena will perform for the audience while the
judges deliberate. Following the performance, the winners will be
announced, each of whom will receive a cash prize of $15,000 and
career-making exposure.
Blake Denson began his musical life as a percussionist in the Paducah Tilghman High School band. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with his Bachelor of Music in Voice before heading to Rice University to attain his Masters degree in vocal performance.
Chinese baritone Xiaomeng Zhang completed his Artist Diploma at Juilliard and was a participant in San Francisco’s 2018 Merola Opera Program. He was also a national semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2018.
There will be two baritone, two bass-baritones and a bass among the 23 singers chosen to compete in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions semi-finals. They will move on to a closed competition on Monday, February 24 for the chance to advance to the Grand Finals on March 1st conducted by Bertrand de Billy.
The low male voices include Brent Michael Smith, bass-baritones Joel Allison and Ben Brady, as well as baritones Blake Denson and Xiaomeng Zhang. The remaining competitors includes sopranos Erika Baikoff, Claire de Monteil, Cara Gabrielson, Courtney Johnson, Chasiti Lashay, Jana McIntyre, Whitney Morrison, Alexandria Shiner, Denis Vélez and Suzannah Waddington; mezzo-sopranos Katherine Beck, Gabrielle Beteag, Lindsay Kate Brown and Katherine DeYoung; countertenor Key’mon Murrah; and, tenors Jonah Hoskins, Joseph Leppek and Joshua Sanders.
Met Opera 2020 semi-finalists
This year’s semifinalists were chosen from more than 1,000 singers who participated in auditions held in 40 districts throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, and who then competed in the 12 regional finals. These auditions are sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera National Council and administered by National Council members and hundreds of volunteers from across the country.
Brent Michael Smith performs "I'm a Lonely Man" from Susannah:
The singers who advance to the Grand Finals will have a week of training with Met musical and dramatic coaches to prepare for the Grand Finals Concert. Each finalist will sing two arias on the Metropolitan Opera stage. Tenor Javier Camarena will perform for the audience while the judges deliberate. Following the performance, the winners will be announced, each of whom will receive a cash prize of $15,000 and career-making exposure.
Results will be posted to @MONCAuditions Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Tickets for the Grand Finals Concert are available online.
