Blake Denson and Xiaomeng Zhang advance to Met Finals

Blake Denson and Xiaomeng Zhang

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.

Four baritones in today's 1st round of Mirjam Helin Competition

There are four baritones performing in the preliminary round of the Mirjam Helin International singing competition, including one of our favorites, American John Brancy. He'll be joined by
Hansung Yoo of Korea, Shi Zong of China and Björn Bürger of Germany.

Brancy, who was joined by Ilmari Räikkönen at the piano sang J.S. Bach's Mache dich mein Herze rein from the St. Matthew Passion, Schubert's Nachtstück, Rachmaninov's V moltšani notši tainoi and Thomas' Ô vin, dissipe la tristesse from Hamlet. You can watch his performance HERE.

Korean Hansung Yoo, who was joined by Imari Räikkönen at the piano sang Duparc's Chanson triste, J.S. Bach's Großer Herr und starker König from the Christmas Oratorio, Schumann's Schöne Wiege meiner Leiden and Gounod's Oh sainte médaille... Avant de quitter ces lieux from Faust. You can watch his performance HERE.

Björn Bürger, of Germany was joined by Ilmo Ranta at the piano, and performed Mozart's Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen from the Magic Flute, Schubert's Auf der Bruck, Händel's Why do the nations from the Messiah and Schumann's Ich grolle nicht. You can watch his performance HERE.

Chinese bass Shi Zong was accompanied by Ilmari Räikkönen at the piano and sang J.S. Bach's Quia fecit mihi magna from the Magnificat, Verdi's Di due figli vivea padre beato from Il trovatore, Schubert's Erstarrung and Saint-Saëns' Danse macabre. You can watch his performance HERE.

The preliminary round continues through August 7th with 46 singers competing to get into the semi-finals on August 9-10. The finals will be held on August 13 with the prizewinners performing on August 15th. Tickets for all rounds are available online or at the Lippupiste ticket shop. 

Reader Submission: Yu Di

Yu Di

Our latest reader submission comes from Paris, where Chinese barihunk Yu Di is competing in the Paris Opera Awards.

Born in 1981 in Zi Gong, China, he received his diploma from the Academy of Music in Shanghai. He attended master classes with Carlo Bergonzi, Eva Marton and Robert White and went on to became a singing teacher at the University of Shanghai and the Shanghai Theatre Academy.

He made his professional debut in 2005 at the 22nd International Spring Festival in Shanghai in a concert devoted to contemporary music. He was invited back to the festival to years later. I

In 2010 he sang at the Dublin City Hall in Ireland in a concert organised by the Spring Festival of Shanghai.

Yu DI won the Second Special Prize in the International Singing Competition of Turandot at the Teatro Filarmonico de Vérone in Italy in 2009. The following year, he was awarded the CNIPAL Prize at the International Singing Competition of Marmande, which led to his professional performing career.

In October 2013, he participated in the Gala concert of the 30th Anniversary of CNIPAL at the Marseille Opera with the Marseille Philharmonic Orchestra singing Escamillo's aria “Votre toast...” from Bizet’s Carmen.