The Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air was an annual singing competition sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera of New York City for more than two decades. The competition's purpose was to find, encourage, and promote developing young opera singers with promising future careers. Winners of the competition were given a cash prize and the opportunity to perform opera selections on the radio with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. [1]
History
Established in 1935 by newly appointed Met director Edward Johnson, the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air was broadcast live on NBC Radio. Given the number of contestants, the competition was heard through a series of broadcasts that spanned several weeks. Concerned that the competition was becoming merely a tool for promoting singers in New York City, the Met created the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1954 as a means of finding and bringing in talented young opera singers from all across the United States. At this point the competition was sometimes referred to as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions of the Air. The first two winners of the competition were the tenor Arthur Carron and the contralto Ana Kaskas, both of which became resident artists at the Met soon after. [2] The competition ceased to operate in 1958, but the Met continues to operate the National Council Auditions. [1]
Notable winners
- Martina Arroyo [3][ page needed]
- Grace Bumbry [3][ page needed]
- Marilyn Cotlow [3][ page needed]
- Annamary Dickey [3][ page needed]
- Frank Guarrera [3][ page needed]
- Mack Harrell [3][ page needed]
- Thomas Hayward [3]: 136
- William Hargrave [3][ page needed]
- Margaret Harshaw [3][ page needed]
- Lansing Hatfield [4]
- Lois Hunt [3][ page needed]
- Christine Johnson [3][ page needed]
- An(n)a Kaskas [2]
- Arthur Kent [3][ page needed]
- Robert Merrill [3]: 136
- Patrice Munsel [3]: 46
- Regina Resnik [3][ page needed]
- Eleanor Steber [3][ page needed]
- Maxine Stellman [3][ page needed]
- Hugh Roderick Thompson
- Leonard Warren [3][ page needed]
References
- ^ a b History of the National Council Auditions[ dead link]
- ^ a b "Singers Win Chance at Opera in Contest; Connecticut Girl and Englishman Chosen for Metropolitan in Radio Auditions" (PDF). The New York Times. March 30, 1936.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Victoria Etnier Villamil (2004). From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age. Northeastern University Press. ISBN 9781555536350.
- ^ Smith (March 26, 1941). "Radio Review: Metropolitan Auditions of the Air". Variety. Vol. 142, no. 3. p. 32.
