ISU to host Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions on Nov. 9

This year ISU is thrilled to have two undergraduate ISU students competing, tenor Bradley Irvine and soprano Micah Kenney.

The National Council Auditions program is designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers. The auditions are held annually in 14 regions of the United States and Canada. There are 42 districts within these regions, of which ISU is part of the Idaho/Montana district.

The judges for the Idaho/Montana District auditions will be Stanford Olsen, Distinguished American Tenor and faculty member at University of Michigan; Sandra Horst, Canadian Opera Company and faculty member University of Toronto; and David Bennett, general director, San Diego Opera. The official accompanist for the auditions will be Jeffrey Price, coach and accompanist from the University of Utah.

The ISU Department of Music is proud to present its voice majors in a master class with tenor Stanford Olsen. The master class is free and open to the public on Friday, Nov. 8, 4-6 p.m in the Barbara J. Marshall Rotunda of the Stephens Performing Arts Center.

Thanks to the generous support of Rayna Valentine, ISU is again sponsoring an “Audience Choice” award. Participants attending the auditions and casting their own vote allows the community to show support for those who are auditioning. 

ISU also thanks sponsorship from its community partners: Flowers by L.D., Jimmy John’s and TownePlace Suites by Marriott.

Those interested in supporting the Metropolitan Opera National Council program can contact Diana Livingston Friedley, ISU voice professor, at lividian@isu.edu or 208-282-2611.

Tickets for the competition on Nov. 9 are $8 for adults, $6 for faculty and staff, $4 for pre-college students and ISU students are admitted free.