THE 2020 GEORGE LONDON AWARD FINALS TAKE PLACE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21 The 49th Annual George London Foundation Competition for Opera Singers Final Round and Awards Announcement Is a Public Event at The Morgan Library & Museum’s Gilder Lehrman Hall The panel of judges includes Harolyn Blackwell, Susan Quittmeyer, Lenore Rosenberg, Richard Stillwell, John Hauser, and Nora London.
GEORGE LONDON FOUNDATION 2019‐20 SEASON ANNOUNCED! 2019 GEORGE LONDON AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Samantha Gossard, mezzo-soprano (30, Sidney, OH), who sang “Connais‐tu le pays” from Massenet’s Mignon George London Award sponsored by Sarah Billinghurst Solomon, The Miriam and Arthur Diamond Charitable Trust and Barbara Brookes Rebecca Pedersen, soprano (27, Salem, UT), who sang “Dich teure Halle” from Wagner’s Tannhäuser – George London Award in memory of Leonie Rysanek sponsored by an anonymous donor Carolyn Sproule, mezzo‐soprano (30, Montréal, Canada), who sang “Deh! Proteggimi o Dio” from Bellini’s Norma – George London Award for a Canadian singer, sponsored by Mrs. Walter J. Laughery Charles Sy, tenor (27, Toronto, Canada), who sang “Ich baue ganz” from Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail – George London Award in memory of Lloyd E. Rigler and Lawrence E. Deutsch, sponsored by The Lloyd E. Rigler – Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, James D. Rigler, President Kyle van Schoonhoven, tenor (30, Lockport, NY), who sang “Mein Lieber Schwan” from Wagner’s Lohengrin – George London Award in memory of Kirsten Flagstad, sponsored in part by the New York Community Trust
2019 GEORGE LONDON ENCOURAGEMENT AWARDS ($1,000 each) Amanda Lynn Bottoms, mezzo‐soprano (27, Cheektowaga, NY), who sang “Charlotte’s Letter Scene” from Massenet’s Werther – Award sponsored by Meche Kroop Sarah Joyce Cooper, soprano (27, Lincoln, MA), who sang “E strano…Sempre libera” from Verdi’s La Traviata – Award sponsored by Donald Palumbo Ron Dukes, bass (24, Indianapolis, IN), who sang “Vous qui faites l’endormie” from Gounod’s Faust – Award in memory of Louis D’Angelo, sponsored by Robert Lombardo Vartan Gabrielian, bass‐baritone (25, Toronto, Canada), who sang “Quand la flamme de l’amour” from Bizet’s La jolie fille de Perth – Award in memory of Jaclyn Rendall Elyn, sponsored by Mark Elyn Shannon Jennings, soprano (30, Orlando, FL), who sang “Stridono lassù” from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci – Award sponsored by the George London Foundation Elizabeth Reiter, soprano (33, Chicago, IL), who sang “No word from Tom” from Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress – Award sponsored by The Henry and Dianna Asher Family Charitable Fund Olivia Smith, soprano (20, Kelowna, BC, Canada), who sang “Deh vieni non tardar” from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro ‐ Award in memory of Jaclyn Rendall Elyn, sponsored by Mark Elyn Matthew Swensen, tenor (26, Rochester, NY), who sang “Ecco ridente in cielo” from Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia – Award in memory of Irwin Scherzer, sponsored by The Irwin S. Scherzer Foundation Joseph Tancredi, tenor (21, Bayville, NY), who sang “Dein ist mein ganzes Herz” from Lehár’s Das Land des Lächelns – Award in memory of Alfred Hubay, sponsored by the George London Foundation Polixeni Tsiouvaras, mezzo‐soprano (23, Santa Barbara, CA), who sang “Se Romeo t’uccise un figlio” from Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi – Award in memory of Alan M. Ades, sponsored by Joan Taub Ades Matthew White, tenor (27, New Market, VA), who sang “O paradis” from Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine – Award in memory of Herbert J. Frank, sponsored by David Shustak
2019 Judges: soprano Harolyn Blackwell, George London Foundation Executive Director John Hauser, George London Foundation President Nora London, and tenor and voice professor George Shirley. 2019 Competition pianist: David Holkeboer.