The five young singers are in the running for the scholarship, worth $43,000, and will compete in the finals at the Sydney Con.
The Opera Foundation for Young Australians has announced five finalists for the 2017 Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship: mezzo Fleuranne Brockway, bass-baritone Christopher Curcuruto, mezzo Bronwyn Douglass, tenor Michael Petruccelli and soprano Michelle Ryan. The winner will be announced at a public recital and receive $43,000 toward the development of their career, providing them with the opportunity to study with internationally acclaimed vocal, language and movement coaches in New York.
“The Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship was the first scholarship created by my mother and led to her founding the Foundation in 1963” said Anna Cleary, Chair of The Opera Foundation for Young Australians. “This scholarship has given over 52 young Australian opera artists the unique opportunity of learning from the best in New York to further their careers. It is a scholarship that continues to be highly desirable and relevant to today’s young opera talent. A couple of recent successes include our 2015 winner Elizabeth Lewis being selected into the Gate City Bank Young Artist Program for the Fargo-Moorhead Opera whilst undertaking her scholarship. Elizabeth now is residing in America to pursue her opera career. In addition our 2008 winner Natalie Aroyan has recently performed a variety of principal roles with Opera Australia.”
The Opera Foundation for Young Australians has been running for over 50 years, providing a crucial springboard for many successful international careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has delivered over $5 million in funding and support and offered over 300 awards and scholarships without government support. The adjudicators for this year’s Scholarship are Anke Höppner, Roxane Hislop and Greg Massingham.
The finals recital will be held at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Verbrugghen Hall on October 29.
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