Young opera singers from around the country will gather at Miami Beach’s Colony Theatre on April 18 to take part in the Young Patronesses of the Opera 28th National Voice Competition. Ten finalists, chosen from a total of 25 semifinalists out of 116 initial applicants, will perform in a concert in front of a panel of illustrious jurors to earn $40,000 in prize monies to further careers in the field of grand opera. The event takes place on Saturday, April 18, at 2:00 PM at the Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida. Tickets are $25.00 and include an invitation to the Sparkling Winners Reception by La Fenice Prosecco to follow the award presentation. Tickets may be purchased through the Colony Theatre at 305-434-7091 or online at colonytheatremiamibeach.com.

The concert program will include both popular and important arias by today’s brightest young talents. Awards are presented in two categories, with an $8,000 prize to the Senior Young Artist (ages 26–30) winner and $7,500.00 to the Junior Young Artist winner (ages 20 –25). An audience favorite award will also be given.

The YPO National Voice Competition was founded in 1972 by soprano Irene Patti Swartz Hammond and is held biennially in Miami-Dade. The competition has grown nationally in stature, and many winners are singing in major opera houses worldwide. Currently six are on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera. Among those winners who have appeared with Florida Grand Opera recently are Nadine Sierra, Dana Beth Miller, Michael Fabiano, Elizabeth Caballero, and Sydney Mancasola.

To be eligible to compete, a singer must be between the ages of 20 and 30 and must have extensive vocal training and experience. This year’s semifinalists include singers who have performed at Florida Grand Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Opera Memphis, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Opera San Jose, Palm Beach Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Sarasota Opera, Seattle Opera, Virginia Opera, Wolf Trap Opera Company, and many other festivals and programs.

Funds for the YPO Voice Competition are provided by the Young Patronesses of the Opera, with ongoing support from the Junior Opera Guild, Dr. and Mrs. Phillip George (Judy George Award), Ms. Renée Fink (Marvin A. Fink Memorial Award), the Irene Patti Swartz Hammond Memorial Fund, Spieler Family Award, La Fenice Prosecco, Gibraltar Private Bank and Trust, Opera Volunteers International, and several individual donors.

Founded in 1956, the Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO) has given Florida Grand Opera over $2 million in funding and, through its educational projects, brings exposure to opera to almost 30,000 elementary school children each year. YPO’s projects include professional in-school operas presented to elementary schools in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties; Opera Funtime booklets that teach children about various operas through poetry, song, and activities; Girl Scout workshops, which enable Girl Scouts to earn their opera badge through experiencing various stages of opera; a teacher’s workshop, preparing South Florida educators to include opera in the classroom; and a national voice competition. For more information, visit www.ypo-miami.org.