Violetta DuPont Competition Brings Young Opera Talent to FDU in April

Madison, NJ – March 25, 2009 – Aspiring opera finalists, chosen from applicants across the United States, are vying for recognition, prestige and prizes in the Violetta DuPont Opera Competition on Saturday, April 25 on Fairleigh Dickinson University’s College at Florham, 285 Madison Avenue, Madison, N.J. The competition, which begins at 7 p.m., will be held in Hennessy Hall (The Mansion). Admission is $30; $10 for students. For ticket reservations, call 973-443-8620.

Prestigious members of the opera community, including Stephen De Maio, Alfred Hubay, Pamela Gilmore, Patricia Leonard and Mariana Karpatova will judge the finalists. Preliminary judges Robert Butz, Michael Redmond and Richard Kopp narrowed the entries to eight finalists; six sopranos and two baritones.

William Hicks will accompany all entrants. He regularly participates in many vocal competitions, has been an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, and conductor at the Connecticut Opera.

The Opera at Florham Vocal Competition was established by the Opera Guild to honor Mrs. Violetta Pollara DuPont, a founding member of the Guild, for her vision, support, and tireless work on behalf of Opera at Florham.

The Opera Company provides young artists on the threshold of promising careers with opportunities and experiences to advance their careers through a variety of programs.  The goal of the competition is to support the growth and development of singers by offering cash prizes and an opportunity to perform publicly with Opera at Florham in recital or in an opera production.

Previous winners of the Violetta DuPont Competition have launched their careers and appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, the New Jersey State Opera and the New York City Opera, as well as opera companies throughout Europe. 

In addition to sponsoring the yearly opera competition, Opera at Florham, a professional company in residence at Fairleigh Dickinson University, also sponsors four cabarets each season. This year, it will present the staged opera, “Tosca” on Sunday, May 31. An operalogue led by Dr. Richard Kopp will be held on May 17 at 3 p.m.  For more information about these events, call 973-443-8620.