Stephen Anthony Ray

Dear Friends

Last week in New York City, I had two separate auditions - the one on Thursday was for the Lindemann Young Artist Program of the Metropolitan Opera, a graduate school - like program for extremely talented young opera singers that utilizes the vast resources of the Met to prepare them for succesful careers in singing. Sunday’s audition, however, was for the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California; it’s a two month summer academy centered around intense musical training for young artists. 463 singers applied and auditioned for the 22 spots that were to be chosen. I am happy to report that I will be one of the 22 next summer in Santa Barbara, covering the role of Marcello in the Academy’s production of Puccini’s La Boheme, as well as participating voice lessons with Marilyn Horne and master classes with many world-class musicians and clinicians. I thank God for this amazing opportunity and pray that he would use my talent to help draw others closer to himself. Thank you, dear friends, for all of your support. I will post again soon once I hear back the Met. God bless.

SRay

I’m back in the Big Apple. And it’s absolutely phenomenal. I’ve been to Queens, Harlem, Manhattan and have gotten to experience a great chunk of New York life. My auditions on Sunday went really well (I got a call back). I’ll hear from them in a couple of weeks as to whether or not I got into the Academy of the West. I’m frying chicken for my friend Jorge Roman’s family tonight. And last night, at the Met, I saw Don Carlo, the longest Verdi opera (4 hours). It was amazing! Since it was so late afterward, I stayed in Manhattan with Andrew Shepherd. They’re all at work right now and I’m here by myself. So far, so good.

Funny thing - seeing all these people all over the place reminds me that I have a mission ahead of me - to live the Gospel (and preach it, where able) so that people will look beneath my surface and see the thing that is really under me - Jesus Christ.

SRay