Young Singers From Across the Globe Face Off in Prestigious Houston Grand Opera Competition
An International Evening on Song and a Festive Dinner For the Future
BY Shelby Hodge // 01.27.22Houston Grand Opera's Concert of Arias first place winner baritone Navasard Hakobayan takes in the moment on stage at Wortham Theater Center. (Photo by Wilson Parish)
Initially 768 candidates signed on for Houston Grand Opera’s prestigious Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. That number was laboriously whittled down to 18 and in the end nine finalists took the stage in Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center for an evening of song followed by a festive dinner in the theater’s Grand Foyer.
Each of the candidates, who came from across the globe, sang two arias during the evening that not only had a live audience but also was live-streamed internationally with HGO Studio alumnus Norman Reinhardt serving as host. The contestants were singing for both monetary prizes and a coveted spot in the HGO Studio, one of the most respected young artist programs in the country.
“The Concert of Arias represents the purest distillation of this company’s values, as nothing is more important to us than the future of this art form,” HGO general director and CEO Khori Dastoor says. “Each year, we put all we have into developing the talents of the finest young artists in the country through the HGO Studio program, and that starts with this thrilling competition.”
These young singers have spent much of the past two years singing behind masks due to the pandemic as well as working on their studies remotely, not an easy task for performing artists. That led HGO studio director Brian Speck to note: “It is more meaningful than ever for them to stand before a live audience in the Cullen Theater and show the world that the challenges of the past two years haven’t dulled their passion and determination to sing.”
Six prizes were awarded with baritone Navasard Hakobyan of Armenia taking the top prize of $10,000. Second place with a $5,000 prize was awarded to soprano Amanda Batista, who is of Cuban-Puerto Rican heritage. The $3,000 third place prize went to bass-baritone Jongwon Han, a native of South Korea, who also received the Audience Choice Award. The Ana Maria Martinez Encouragement Award of $2,000 went to soprano Olivia Smith, who hails from British Columbia.
Judging the competition were Dastoor, HGO artistic and music director Patrick Summers, HGO artistic advisor Ana Maria Martinez and guest judge soprano Christine Goerke.
Drs. Liz Grimm and Jack Roth, both with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, chaired the evening that raised funds for the competition and for HGO Studio. The Events Company provided decor for the Grand Foyer while City Kitchen delivered on the dinner.
PC Seen: Molly and Jim Crownover, BenJoaquin Gouverneur, Drs. Rachel and Warren Ellsworth, Gabriel Attal, Ellen Gritz and Mickey Rosenau, Jill and Allyn Risley, Drs. Anne Tsao and Mark Clemens, Kristie and Tom Van Arsdel, Myrtle Jones, Ann and Stephen Kaufman, Lindy and Rydman, Lily and Charles Foster, and Jennifer and Benjamin Fink, who will chair the April 9 HGO ball, themed Le Voyage à Marrakech.