Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Sun Valley Opera’s Peake wins at the Met

International vocal competition promotes opera

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By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Courtesy photo by Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera Nathaniel Peake won the Sun Valley Opera International Vocal Competition in Seattle.

The Sun Valley Opera has held its International Vocal Competition for the last eight years in Seattle. The competition promotes opera and helps burgeoning opera singers to cultivate their talent.

In 2008, Texas tenor Nathaniel Peake won first place at the Sun Valley Opera competition. On March 14 of this year, the Metroplitan Opera announced that he had won a $15,000 grand prize in its prestigious National Council Auditions. The winners were selected from nine finalists who performed arias with the Met Orchestra.

The Met's competition was well attended this year due to the release of the documentary film "The Audition" by Susan Froemke, which follows young opera singers preparing and competing.

"The experience and exposure gained for finalists in the high-caliber Sun Valley Opera International Vocal Competition is invaluable," Peake said. "It was an honor to receive the cash first-place prize in 2008, and I hope to perform in one of Sun Valley Opera's future shows."

Soprano Sara Gartland, who was among the six finalists in last year's Sun Valley Opera competition, was selected this year to be a fellow in the San Francisco Opera's Adler Fellowship Program.

The Sun Valley Opera will present a summer performance, "MIZ Saigon," at the Sun Valley Pavilion on Sunday, July 11, at 8 p.m. The show will feature five singers, a 25-piece orchestra and a finale with 100-person chorus. "MIZ Saigon" will feature songs from "Miss Saigon" and "Les Misérables" under the direction of music director Brett Strader. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 15. For details, visit sunvalleyopera.com.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com

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