Joyce DiDonato News

Can you imagine coming out on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera--facing an audience of about 4000 and be ready to sing without really much of a chance to warm up? That takes guts--and it's what the nine finalists in the Met's National Council Auditions Grand Final Concert did on Sunday, April 29. At stake? A grand push forward for the careers in opera that they've dreamed about. (There was also some money involved: $15,000 apiece for the winners, $5,000 each for the runs up.)

After many months of competitions at the district, regional, and national levels, five singers have been named as the winners of the nation's most prestigious vocal competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Each winner receives a $15,000 cash prize and the exposure that comes with winning the competition that launched the careers of many of opera's biggest stars.

Soprano Nadine Sierra has been named the winner of the 13th annual Beverly Sills Artist Award for young singers at the Metropolitan Opera. The $50,000 award, the largest of its kind in the United States, is given to extraordinarily gifted singers between the ages of 25 and 40 who have already appeared in featured solo roles at the Met. The award, given in honor of Beverly Sills, was established in 2006 by an endowment gift from the late Agnes Varis, a managing director on the Met board. In 2009 Sierra became the youngest ever winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has gone on to make her mark at the Met with memorable performances in Verdi's Rigoletto, and Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Idomeneo and Don Giovanni. In the Met's 2018-19 season, Sierra will reprise the role of Gilda in Rigoletto.

More than 400 opera aficionados and performers – including opera stars Alice Coote, Jennifer Rowley and Laurent Naouri – were among those who attended the 13th Annual OPERA NEWS Awards at The Plaza Hotel last night.

Gallery Met Shorts presents a film by artist Elizabeth Columba, which will be shown in more than 2,000 movie theaters in 73 countries during the intermission of the Met's final Live in HD performance of this season.

Following today's highly competitive semi-final competition, nine young singers will advance to the final phase of the Metropolitan Opera's 2018 National Council Auditions, America's most prestigious vocal competition. The selected finalists, chosen by a panel of experts from the classical music industry, will compete on the Met stage on Sunday, April 29 at 3 p.m. The winners will receive individual cash prizes of $15,000 and the prestigious—and potentially career-launching—title of National Council Auditions Winner. The Grand Finals Concert will be hosted by Joyce DiDonato, who will perform during the judges' deliberations. The finalists will sing two arias, with Bertrand de Billy conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Check out what's happening this weekend in classical music:

The Met's new CENDRILLON is a Cinderella of a production, finally allowing Massenet's take on the classic tale of the girl from the cinders who finds her Prince Charming to reach the Met's stage 119 years after its premiere at the Opera-Comique in Paris.

'Glorious,' raved the New York Times when Joyce DiDonato sang the title role of Cendrillon at the Royal Opera in 2011. 'Her performance was thoroughly enchanting.' Now, for the first time ever, Massenet's sumptuous take on the Cinderella story comes to the Met, with DiDonato starring in the title role. She is paired with mezzo-soprano Alice Coote in the trouser role of Prince Charming, Kathleen Kim as the Fairy Godmother, and Stephanie Blythe as the imperious Madame de la Haltière. Bertrand de Billy conducts Laurent Pelly's imaginative storybook production.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at CENRILLON at The Met - now on stage through May 11th! Check out the photos below!

The University Musical Society (UMS), under the leadership of President Matthew VanBesien, today announces its 140th season in 2018-19 with an initial slate of 40 performances and events

The University Musical Society (UMS), under the leadership of President Matthew VanBesien, today announces its 140th season in 2018-19 with an initial slate of 40 performances and events. One of the country's most acclaimed performing arts presenters, UMS honors its past by showcasing respected ensembles and performers with whom it has enjoyed rich relationships, and fully embraces the future as initiator, incubator, and accelerator for innovative new works and projects. This potent combination infuses the anniversary season with dynamic and diverse voices and perspectives featuring artists at the top of their game - celebrating the canon, taking risks, moving genres in new directions, disrupting stereotypes, and surprising audiences.

For the first time in its history, the Met will present Cendrillon, Jules Massenet's 1899 operatic adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, with performances beginning April 12, 2018. Joyce DiDonato stars in the title role, conducted by Bertrand de Billy in a staging by Laurent Pelly.

You shall go to the ball! Jules Massenet's bewitching adaptation of the enduring Cinderella story, Cendrillon, makes its debut at the Metropolitan Opera this season in this imaginative production from Laurent Pelly, with Joyce DiDonato reprising the glorious lead role, one of the most charming in the repertoire, after wowing audiences and critics alike in London in 2011. Romantic and glittering, Pelly's creation is witty and elegant adaptation, with astoundingly pretty sets and costumes full of rococo flourish and fairytale magic - a perfect engagement for the first time opera goer. See Cendrillon LIVE in HD on the big screen at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Saturday, April 28th at 12:55pm, part of Benchmark Senior Living at Ridgefield Crossings Live in HD & Classical Series and The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD Series.

For the first time in its history, the Met will present Cendrillon, Jules Massenet's 1899 operatic adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, with performances beginning April 12, 2018. Joyce DiDonato stars in the title role, conducted by Bertrand de Billy in a staging by Laurent Pelly.

The Celebrity Series of Boston announced its 2018-2019 season today, marking 80 years of bringing the world's greatest performing artists to Boston. In total, the 2018-2019 season will include 50 music, dance, and entertainment mainstage engagements, including a new artistic initiative to present three dance ensembles in their Boston debuts with live music at NEC's Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre. The season will open on September 23 with Jazz Along the Charles, A Walkable Concert along the Charles River Esplanade featuring 25 jazz ensembles along a 2-mile loop. Neighborhood Arts will feature more than 150 workshops, classes, and concerts in schools and community venues performances across Boston.

For the first time in its history, the Met will present Cendrillon, Jules Massenet's 1899 operatic adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, with performances beginning April 12, 2018. Joyce DiDonato stars in the title role, conducted by Bertrand de Billy in a staging by Laurent Pelly.

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation announced today that Christian Van Horn – “one of those treasurable singers in whose presence one can entirely relax, assured that everything he does will be delivered with solid interpretive insight and unfailingly attractive tone” (Opera News) – has been named as the winner of the 2018 Richard Tucker Award.

The lauded Lin-Manuel Miranda musical Hamilton led the way at the Olivier Awards 2018 ceremony, collecting seven awards from its record-breaking thirteen nominations.

We'll be updating the list of nominees LIVE throughout this evening's Olivier Awards from London's Royal Albert Hall - winners are indicated IN BOLD!