(Credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera)

On Sunday, March 17, the Met Opera hosted the grand finale of the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. Out of an initial group of 1,500 hopefuls, ten standout singers got their chance to shine before their first Met audience.

Denyce Graves hosted the event, featuring a special bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green performance. The afternoon was filled with exceptional singing as the competitors vied for a share of $150,000 in prize money.

The top five performers, earning $20,000 each, were tenor Daniel Espinal from Sarasota, Florida; soprano Lydia Grindatto from Tijeras, New Mexico; baritone Navasard Hakobyan from Armenia; mezzo-soprano Meridian Prall from Fort Wayne, Indiana; and soprano Emily Richter from Arlington, Virginia.

Close behind them, the runners-up included tenor Nathan Bowles from Minot, North Dakota; mezzo-soprano Ruby Dibble from Kansas City, Missouri; soprano Tessa McQueen from Loveland, Colorado; tenor Demetrious Sampson, Jr., from Atlanta, Georgia; and tenor Eric Taylor from St. George, Utah, each receiving $10,000.

The competition, founded in 1954, has had previous winners such as luminaries Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Stephanie Blythe, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, Lisette Oropesa, Jamie Barton, Michael Fabiano, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Ryan Speedo Green, and Nadine Sierra.

Grand Prize Winners

The afternoon performance comprised a blend of popular and lesser-known musical pieces composed by a diverse group of artists, including Handel, Floyd, and Tchaikovsky. A handful of singers showcased their versatility by performing Russian songs from “Eugene Onegin” and “Queen of Spades,” which earned praise from the audience.

Soprano Lydia Grindatto performed the “Letter Scene” from “Eugene Onegin” beautifully, showcasing her sweet and delicate tone. However, she sometimes had difficulty cutting over the orchestra.

For her second-half performance, Grindatto sang the famous aria “È strano! È strano! … Ah fors’ è lui … Sempre libera degg’io” from Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Her presentation of this piece solidified her place as a standout in my program. Grindatto’s portrayal of the ailing courtesan was captivating, earning cheers and applause from the seats. The audience even applauded when she paused before singing “Gioia!”

Baritone Navasard Hakobyan opened with “O sainte mèdaille … Avant de quitter ces lieux” from Gounod’s “Faust.” This was the third Gounod piece in the first half. While Hakobyan’s voice was excellent, I did not find it particularly captivating. However, his rendition of “Ya vas lyublyu” from Tchaikovsky’s “Queen of Spades” in the second half was stunning.

For both vocalists, tackling Russian pieces was a risk; they couldn’t simply attempt it or do a decent job; they had to excel. And excel they did.

Tenor Daniel Espinal sang pieces from Gounod and Verdi. In the second half, his rendition of “Lunge da lei … De’ miei bollenti spiriti” from “La Traviata” earned him a standout star in my program. Espinal’s voice effortlessly engaged the audience with a light and smooth tone without needing vocal theatrics. He displayed a passionate, well-controlled, lyrical voice that perfectly matched the orchestra’s emotions.

Mezzo-soprano Meridian Prall impressed with her performances from Gounod’s opera “Sapho.” During the show’s first half, she delivered a stunning rendition of “O ma lyre immortelle,” which, in this reviewer’s mind, evoked imagery of a gliding seagull above rippling waters, accompanied by delicate and elegant arpeggiated notes from the harp.

In her second-half selection, Prall gave the audience a moving rendition of Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito” aria, “Parto, parto.” Her flawless upper range and powerful projection left a lasting impression.

Soprano Emily Richter’s performance of Mozart’s “Crudele? … Non mi dir”  from “Don Giovanni” was excellent. Although the recitative portion of the piece was musically limited (as are most), Richter’s dynamic performance kept things engaging before moving on to the aria, where she demonstrated her natural talent for Mozart’s music.

Richter delivered Charpentier’s aria “Depuis le jour” from “Louise” with delicate tenderness and a gentle vocal tone for her second-half performance.

Runners-Up

Handel’s “Tu preparati a morire” from the opera “Ariodante,” was delivered by mezzo-soprano Ruby Dibble. Dibble commanded the stage with her powerful voice, agile movements, and captivating presence. Later in the program, she showcased her lyrical abilities with R. Strauss’s “Sein wir wieder gut” from “Ariadne auf Naxos.” While her diction may have been slightly unclear at times, she finished strong.

Tenor Eric Taylor’s first selection was a tenor favorite, “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée,” from Bizet’s “Carmen.” With his commanding presence and fluid movements, Taylor captured the audience’s attention, and his voice filled the auditorium with raw emotion. He flawlessly portrayed the two sides of Don José —the lovesick soldier persona contrasting with the character’s dangerous obsession with Carmen and unbridled rage, creating a dynamic and vivid portrait.

For his second piece, Taylor took on “Ecco la casa Dio, che orrenda note! … Torna ai felici dì,” from Puccini’s lesser-known opera, “Le Villi.” His lively and energetic performance showcased his strong upper range and agility.

The third tenor in the 2024 cohort, Nathan Bowles, lacked the liveliness during Puccini’s “Ch’ Ella mi creda libero e lontano,” from “La Fanciulla del West.” He remained stationary for half of the song. The same could be said for his second-half performance of “Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein” from “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.” It was a notable shift from Puccini, known for his memorable arias, to Wagner’s complex composition. One might have felt Bowles’ rendition of the Wagner piece stronger. His powerful projection and stamina were on full display in this challenging selection.

Soprano Tessa McQueen began with “In quali eccessi … Mi tradi,” from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Her voice was deep and dramatic, filling the hall with beautiful sounds. However, her diction was not always clear. This became especially apparent during her performance of “Ain’t it a pretty night?” from Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah,” where only a few words were distinguishable. Despite being sung in English, the lyrics blurred together, making it difficult to comprehend.

Demetrious Sampson, Jr. was the fourth tenor of the group. He had a strong and commanding voice, displaying his talents with Verdi’s “Ah, la paterno mano” from “Macbeth.” He then switched gears for his next piece, choosing Tchaikovsky’s “Kuda, kuda, kuda vy udalilis” from “Eugene Onegin.” He was the third singer to showcase their skills with Russian songs.

The final vocalist to take the stage was Ryan Speedo Green. The bass-baritone sang “Die Frist ist um,” from Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer.” His performance was physical, emotional, and highly engaging. It was a masterclass in artistry and hope. In Ryan Speedo Green, the Laffont Competition’s singers could glimpse their futures. They were now in the company of legends, those who had worked their way, competition by competition, to the Met stage.

As Maestro Evan Rogister guided the Met Orchestra through the evening’s program, his baton weaving the complex tapestry of sound that underpinned each performance, the symbiosis between singer and orchestra reminded us of opera’s enduring power. In a world increasingly fragmented, the unity of music, voice, and narrative offered a respite, a reminder of the shared humanity that art, at its best, can illuminate. Rogister was a cheerleader for the singers and, no doubt, a reassuring presence, not there to impose his vision but to allow the vocalists to shine.

As the finalists stepped off the stage after the competition, their journey was far from over. It was, in many ways, just beginning. The afternoon’s accolades would open doors, but the path to operatic stardom is continual growth and challenge. For these young artists, the Laffont Competition was a moment of affirmation, marking the onset of careers that promise to enrich and expand the operatic tradition.

As the Metropolitan Opera House dimmed its lights on another chapter of the Laffont Competition, the lingering hum of the evening’s performances was a testament to opera’s living, breathing essence. In the voices of its newest champions, opera spoke of its past, present, and future, echoing through the corridors of the Met and into the streets of New York.