Stephen Anthony Ray

Friends

As many of you know, this has been an especially busy week for me.  Last Saturday was the Opera Showcase, the opera scenes program in which I performed as Don Giovanni.  Then, after a week of what seemed like endless opera rehearsals, the weekend finally came.  Friday was the master class led by renowned American baritone Thomas Hampson.  Though I did not sing in the master class, Mr. Hampson had requested to meet with and hear all of the baritones in the program.  I sang “O vin, dissipe la tristesse” from the opera Hamlet by Ambrose Thomas  So - in the end - I got to sing for, and be coached by, Thomas Hampson.  He’s pretty amazing, not only as a musician, but also as a musicologist and vocal technician.

Today - the highlight of the my entire summer here in California - was the day of the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition.  It’s probably more important than the MET auditions.  Why?  Because at today’s audition, there were representatives from every major opera company in the United States, as well as representatives from Columbia Artists Management, Inc.  And tomorrow Thomas Hampson will present a recital of European Lieder and American Art Song.

So now…to the results.  There are 24 singers here at the academy.  21 performed today.  19 were eligible to win awards in today’s competition.  Of the 19, six singers received awards.  One was the grand prize winner…and it wasn’t me.  Lol.  It was Nadine Sierra, a amazingly talented 19 year old Soprano from Florida.  I was one of the other five singers who received encouragement awards ($500 each).  So you know what - today was a really freaking good day!

SRay