Opera San José’s has announced the 12 semi-finalists who will compete in the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition.

The competitors are mezzo-soprano Veena Akama-Makia (Little Rock, Arkansas); bass-baritone Ben Brady (Denver, Colorado); soprano Susanne Burgess (Atlanta, Georgia); baritone Andres Cascante (San José, Costa Rica); mezzo-soprano Chantelle Grant (Toronto, Canada); mezzo-soprano Shanley Horvitz (Voorhees, New Jersey); soprano Emily Michiko Jensen (San Diego, California); soprano Anastasia Malliaras (Los Angeles, California); baritone Samson McCrady (Tucson, Arizona); soprano Nina Mutalifu (Ürümqi, China); baritone Sejin Park (Seoul, Korea); and tenor Kyle van Schoonhoven (Lockport, New York).

The public will be invited to view, and vote on an audience favorite, at the competition’s Semi-finals on May 18, which will be live-streamed FREE from Opera San José’s Heiman Digital Media Studio where one artist will snag the coveted “Audience Favorite” slot.

The finalists will compete on May 20 for nearly $10,000 in cash prizes. First prize is $5,000; second prize, $3,000; and third prize, $1,500. The remaining finalists will receive $300 as Encouragement awards.