Two Maryland opera singers among winners of George London Awards
Among the six young winners of the 41st annual George London Foundation Competition are two native Marylanders -- Frederick-born soprano Corinne Winters and Annapolis-born baritone Zachary Nelson.
The winners each received $10,000 at the conclusion of the competition Friday night at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York.
The George London Awards are named for the great bass-baritone, who was one of the most valued vocal artists of the 1950s and '60s and later worked in management, including a stint as director of what is now Washington National Opera.
Over the years, the competition has recognized several blossoming talents who went on to enjoy major careers, including Christine Brewer, Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, Catherine Malfitano, James Morris, Matthew Polenzani, Sondra Radvanovsky, Neil Shicoff, and Dawn Upshaw.
In addition to Winters and Nelson, the 2012 winners are bass-baritone Brandon Cedel, contralto Suzanne Hendrix, mezzo-soprano Margaret Mezzacappa and soprano Chloé Moore. They were chosen from a field of 90 singers.
Winters, 28, earned her undergraduate degree at Towson University, her master's at the Peabody Conservatory. She is also a graduate of the ...
Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where she created the role of Hester Prynne in "The Scarlet Letter" by Margaret Garwood. The soprano, who recently made her Metropolitan Opera debut, has sung with Wolf Trap Opera Company, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and others.
Nelson, 25, who graduated from Catholic University, is a current resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts and has sung several major roles with that company. He has also performed with Lyric Opera of Virginia and the Opera Orchestra of New York.
PHOTOS FROM CORINNEWINTERS.COM AND ACADEMY OF VOCAL ARTS
Categories: Clef Notes, Opera, Peabody Institute
