Erica Papillion-Posey Named Paris Opera Awards Semi-Finalist

Mezzo- Soprano, Erica Papillion-Posey has been selected as a semi-finalist in the 2014 Paris Opera Awards.

The Paris Opera Awards is an annual competition held under the patronage of the French representation at the European Commission. Ms. Papillion-Posey was selected from hundreds of nominees as one of the fifty semi-finalists.

"My selection as a semi-finalist in the Paris Opera Awards has been a blessing and an honor." Ms. Papillion-Posey commented on her selection, "To be part of such a prestigious organization with the caliber of renowned adjudicators at the helm is rewarding in and of itself."

Ten finalists will be chosen at the end of August and will participate in the Paris Opera Awards Gala Performance with orchestra, honoring the late Joan Sutherland, in Paris on November 19, 2014. From the ten finalists, six laureates will be selected and will receive prizes valued at over €11,000. The jury includes Richard Bonynge, Katia Ricciarelli, Michael Aizenstadt, Eve Ruggieri, Maurice Xiberras, Germinal Hilbert, Dominique Riber, Christian Schirm, Vincent Monteil, and Sophie Duffaut.

If Ms. Papillion-Posey is invited to perform at the Paris Opera Awards Gala Performance she will sing arias from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Donizetti's La Favorita, Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos and her signature role of Carmen from Bizet's Carmen.

"Each year numerous motivated singers try to master the secrets of bel canto. They wish to participate in various singing competitions in Europe and to be recognized as the best opera singers in the world. Today we are committed to discovering the future new divas of opera." Stella Dupont, an official with the Paris Opera Awards noted, "We wish to help the winners to be noticed by artists' management agencies and to shine on the opera stages across the world. "

In 2013, mezzo-soprano Erica Papillion-Posey made her professional North American debut in what has become her signature role of Carmen, where she, ".... captured Carmen's slinky sexiness, radiating allure and trouble... She had the vocal power to sing a soft, seductive "Habanera" in a hall-filling, rounded voice, lingering over the phrases as the men in the square watched. She snapped off the Spanish-style ornaments of the "Seguidilla", and was especially compelling in the lower register, where Carmen's sultriness comes through..." [South Florida Classical Review]. After being hailed as, "... the best Carmen this city has seen in decades" [El Nuovo Herald] the Miami Lyric Opera has engaged Ms. Papillion-Posey for another performance of Carmen in November 2014.

Following sold out performances in Louisiana and Colorado, Ms. Papillion-Posey most recently embarked on a European recital tour entitled Souls of the Soil in collaboration with baritone, Clayton Graves Williams. The overwhelming popularity of the program, which features an eclectic array of American music, compelled the duo to schedule additional performances throughout Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, and New York during 2014.

In 2010, Ms. Papillion-Posey made her international operatic debut as Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica at the Tuscia Opera Festival, under the baton of maestro Stefano Vignati. The demand for her "wonderful voice... full of grace and sensuality" [El Nuevo Herald] and her fierce commitment to character keeps European audiences coming back for more. Memorable European performances include the title role of Carmen, the Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte both with the Tuscia Opera Festival, Annina in La Traviata with Teatro Kizmet Opera, and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro with Siena Opera.

Stateside, Ms. Papillion-Posey's notable roles include her portrayal of Princess Akara in the world premiere of The Lady or the Tiger, an adaptation of Frank Stockton's beloved short story by composers Cherise Leiter and Leanna Kirchoff. Ms. Papillion-Posey's "purely exciting and rich voice" [Arte & Musica Magazine] was also featured as Baba in The Medium, Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte, and in the title role in The Rape of Lucretia.

A prolific concert artist and recitalist, Ms. Papillion-Posey's repertoire includes performances of Handel's Messiah, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater under the direction of Timothy Léon in Tarquinia, Civita di Bagnoregio, Castilione, Capranica and Ronciglione in addition to several solo recitals.

Most recently, Ms. Papillion-Posey was named a semi-finalist in the Paris Opera Awards. Last year, Ms. Papillion-Posey was named a Continuo Arts, Milton Cross Young Artists Winner after being named the organization's Rising Star Young Artists Winner in 2012. Other accolades and awards include first and second place winner of the Vocal Arts Competition of Colorado, respectively in 2005 and 2006, International Lyric Academy of Rome e Viterbo Award, AMICI of Denver Scholarship, Dante Alighieri Music Scholarship Competition, Jeff Bradley Music Scholarship Fund, E. Stoddard Young Endowment Scholarship, Stratton Faulhaber Scholarship, Coulter Norbloom Scholarship Grant and Joseph Docksey Career Development Fund Award.

Ms. Papillion-Posey earned a Master of Music degree and Advanced Certificate in Vocal Performance (both with honors and distinction) from the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Metropolitan University of Denver. She currently studies with renowned mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry.

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