Here is a transcript of the New York times review of the 2005 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert last March 20, Sunday at 3:00pm:
(to view the actual review online, you need to register as a user of the online edition of New York times, which is free.)
In a Contest of Young Voices, a Battle Over What May Be
By BERNARD HOLLAND
Published: March 22, 2005
Having gone through more than 1,500 entries, 22 regional winners, 9 finalists ending with 4 grand prizes, another year of Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions are done. The final nine sang at the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday afternoon, and to show how well auditions and apprentice programs work (and to give judges time to make up their minds), four singing alumni of the Met programs rounded out the afternoon.
Contestants were in their 20’s. With luck, they will reach their vocal peaks in 15 to 20 years. So do we judge these young people on what they are now or on what we expect them to become? Michèle Losier, a Canadian mezzo-soprano, sounded career-ready, with a poised technique and good control of herself onstage. Another reasonably finished product was the tenor Rodell Aure Rosel, who should keep doing well in the character parts he aims for. Jordan Bisch will be sought after as a true bass with already sophisticated abilities.
Elsewhere was the sound of youth: in the soprano voices a brightness approaching glare and powerful sound with little depth to go with it. Mari Moriya’s “Queen of the Night” aria showed scrupulous athleticism. Ellie Dehn’s soprano was big, agile and a little brittle. Susanna Phillips’s soprano should also warm and deepen; if it does, her direct musicality has promising qualities. Lisette Oropesa, 21, also a soprano, will be a subtle and charming asset for smaller opera houses.
Joseph Kaiser, a tenor with notably careful diction, sings well despite lingering stress in his technique. Elona Ceno, who is from Albania, has the right soprano sound but seemed ill at ease. “Come scoglio” from “Così Fan Tutte,” a Mozartean minefield, was not a good choice for her. For that matter, every contestant but one sang Mozart. This is not easy music for young voices.
The combat done, Sondra Radvanovsky, Morris Robinson, Garrett Sorenson and Charles Taylor showed what a few years of age and experience can produce. I hope all nine contestants were in the wings for Ms. Radvanovsky’s “D’amor sull’ali rosee” from Verdi’s “Trovatore.” This was singing of stunning breadth and beauty. Patrick Summers was the excellent conductor, Susan Graham the M.C.
For the record, the final four were Ms. Phillips, Mr. Rosel, Ms. Oropesa and Mr. Bisch. More power to them, but the real winners will announce themselves 20 years from now.
Here are some links to other people’s comments about the competition:
An Unamplified Voice
Geoffrey Riggs
trrill
