Matthew Polenzani & Corinne Winters to Open George London Foundation for Singers' 2013-14 Season, 10/20

Tenor Matthew Polenzani, who has been praised as "perhaps the finest tenor voice of his generation" (Boston Phoenix), and fast-rising young star soprano Corinne Winters will launch the 2013-14 season of events of The George London Foundation for Singers with a recital at The Morgan Library and Museum on Sunday, October 20, 2013, at 4:30 PM. The George London Foundation Recital Series presents pairs of outstanding opera singers, many of whom were winners of a George London prize early in their careers or are recent George London Award recipients. Mr. Polenzani is a 1998 George London Award winner, and Ms. Winters won a George London Award in 2012 (watch Corinne Winters's George London Award-winning performance of Meyerbeer's "Robert, toi que j'aime" here).

Pianist Ken Noda joins the pair for the program. Mr. Polenzani sings songs of Liszt, Ravel's Cinq mélodies populaires grecques, and an aria from Massenet's Werther, and Ms. Winters performs songs by Hahn, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninoff, and Rimsky-Korsakov, and an aria from Massenet's Thaïs. The two will join for the St. Sulpice scene duet from Massenet's Manon. (Full program is below.)

The summer of 2013 was busy for both singers. Matthew Polenzani headlined a new production of The Tales of Hoffmann with the San Francisco Opera, about which Anthony Tommasini said in The New York Times, "The formidable role of Hoffmann is ideal for Mr. Polenzani, who seems in his prime these days. ... Mr. Polenzani had it all: refinement, sweep, passion and power." And Heidi Waleson said in the Wall Street Journal, "Matthew Polenzani inhabited the title role of the luckless poet Hoffmann, relating his love stories with ardent, full-throttle lyricism. Singing his paeans he was a man possessed, not caring that he is making a fool of himself. He was all about passion, and you felt it." Corinne Winters received raves for her performance with Opera Theater St. Louis in Smetana's The Kiss. "One of the best reasons to see 'The Kiss' is for soprano Corinne Winters' spectacular turn as Vendulka," wrote Sarah BRyan Miller in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "She's now singing in major houses around the world, and her performance on Sunday night demonstrated why." And of her Violetta in La traviata with Wolf Trap Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra, Anne Midgette said in the Washington Post: "The anticipatory buzz of this production centered on Corinne Winters... She didn't disappoint. ...she has a gamine intensity that made for a magnetic performance."

The George London Foundation's 2013-14 season continues with two more recitals and the annual competition:

• John Relyea, bass, and Lori Guilbeau, soprano, with Warren Jones, piano. Ms. Guilbeau is a 2010 George London Award winner. Sunday, March 9, 2014, at 4:30 PM

• Christine Brewer, soprano, and Dominic Armstrong, tenor, with Craig Rutenberg, piano. Mr. Brewer is a 1991 George London Award winner; Dominic Armstrong just won the award in March 2013. Sunday, April 6, 2014, at 4:30 PM

• The 43rd annual George London Foundation Awards Competition begins with three days of preliminary auditions and culminates with the final round and award ceremony open to the public. The 2014 competition takes place February 17-21, and the public is invited to attend the competition finals and awards announcement on Friday, February 21, 2014, at 4:00 PM.

The Legacy of George London

The goal of the George London Foundation, the support and nurturing of young singers, was an abiding interest of the great American bass-baritone George London, who devoted a great part of the time and energy of his later years to this purpose. "Remembering his difficult road to success, George wanted to devise a way to make the road a little easier for future generations of singers," said George London Foundation President Nora London. Initially created under the auspices of the National Opera Institute, the George London Awards program has been administered since 1990 directly by the Foundation as a living legacy to George London's own exceptional talent and generosity. www.georgelondon.org

One of the most gifted and distinguished lyric tenors of his generation, Matthew Polenzani has been praised for the artistic versatility and fresh lyricism that he brings to concert and operatic appearances on leading international stages. This season Mr. Polenzani returns to the Metropolitan Opera in Mozart's Così fan tutte, conducted by James Levine, and in Verdi's Rigoletto, opposite Dmitri Hvorostovky and Alexandra Kurzak. He is Massenet's Des Grieux in Laurent Pelly's production of Manon at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, and he makes his role debut as Tito in David McVicar's production of La clemenza di Tito at Lyric Opera of Chicago, opposite Joyce DiDonato. The tenor makes his debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin opposite Elina Garanca and Ildebrando D'arcangelo, as Berlioz'sFaust, under the baton of Sir Donald Runnicles. He then returns to the Bayerische Staatsoper for I Capuleti e i Montecchi, with Elina Garanca as Romeo, and Riccardo Frizza conducting. Concert appearances include Britten's Serenade for Tenor and Horn with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in La traviata, with Gustavo DudaMel Conducting.

Among the many highlights from recent Metropolitan Opera seasons are the premieres of Bartlett Sher's production of L'elisir d'amore, which opened the 2012-13 season, and David McVicar's production of Maria Staurda, Willy Decker's production of La traviata, Julie Taymor's legendary Die Zauberflöte, Jürgen Flimm's production of Salome with Valery Gergiev, and revivals of Don Pasquale, Don Giovanni, Roméo et Juliette, IL Barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan tutte, Falstaff, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and L'Italiana in Algeri. To date, he has sung over 285 performances at the Met, many conducted by his musical mentor James Levine.

Matthew Polenzani was the recipient of the 2004 Richard Tucker Award and Metropolitan Opera's 2008 Beverly Sills Artist Award. An avid golfer, he makes his home in suburban New York with his wife, mezzo-soprano Rosa Maria Pascarella and their three sons. www.matthewpolenzani.com

Corinne Winters, soprano, acclaimed by Opera News for her "passionate lyricism and deep burgundy coloring," is a recent graduate of the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Corinne's 2013-14 season includes debuts with the Santa Fe Opera as Soon Ching-Ling in the American premiere of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Kentucky Opera as Mimì in La bohème, Michigan Opera Theatre as Violetta in La traviata, and Virginia Opera as Micaëla in Carmen. Return engagements include a role debut as Teresa in Benvenuto Cellini with the English National Opera, and Mimì in La bohème with Arizona Opera. She will also debut as a recording artist with GPR records in a Spanish song disc, accompanied by acclaimed pianist Steven Blier. Future seasons include debuts with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Washington National Opera, Vlaamse Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and Opernhaus Zürich, among others.

In the 2012-13 season, Corinne debuted with Opera Hong Kong, the English National Opera, and Opera Lyra Ottawa as Violetta in La traviata, and Arizona Opera as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette. While still a student at the Academy of Vocal Arts, Corinne made her professional debut, and also Metropolitan Opera debut, as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Other career highlights include Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande, directed by David Alden and conducted by Stephen Lord, and Micaëla in Carmen, both with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the title role in Tchaikovsky's Iolanta with Dicapo Opera Theatre, Anne Trulove in The Rake's Progress with Wolf Trap Opera Company, and Micaëla with the Crested Butte Music Festival. In concert, Corinne premiered Rufus Wainwright's song cycle All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu under the auspices of New York City Opera. At AVA, Corinne created the role of Hester Prynne in the world premiere of The Scarlet Letter by Margaret Garwood. Originally from Frederick, Maryland, Corinne has completed a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory and Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude from Towson University. Currently, she studies with world-renowned soprano Diana Soviero. www.corinnewinters.com