The Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation awarded soprano Tessa McQueen the First Place grant of $15,000 in its 26th annual Vocal Competition.

McQueen performed “Vissi d’arte” from Puccini’s “Tosca” and “What Happened in Auschwitz” from Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s “Two Remain.” She also received an additional $5,000 as co-winner of the Facing Forward grant, awarded for the best performance of a 21st-century aria. She will share this prize with mezzo-soprano Kara Morgan.

A graduate of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and Oklahoma City University, McQueen is currently a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. This summer, she takes on the title role in Wolf Trap Opera’s production of “Tosca.”

Tenor Matthew Sink was named Second Place grant winner ($10,000), followed by mezzo-soprano Theo Claveles in Third Place ($7,500). Mezzo-soprano Lindsay Martin and baritone Finn Sagal were named co-winners of the Munday Encouragement Grant ($3,000 each). The other seven finalists, including sopranos Véronique Filloux, Symone Harcum, Celeste Morales, Jazmine Saunders, and Anna Thompson, mezzo-soprano Anna Kelly, and baritone Daniel Rich, each received a $750 grant award.

All finalists were accompanied by Jonathan Kelly during the final, which took place on May 23, 2026.

The panel of judges included Markus Beam, General Manager of San Francisco Opera Center; Jayme Burzette, Managing Director of Muse Artists International; and composer and Mannes College faculty member Dr. Kamala Sankaram, Artist-in-Residence with Minnesota Opera.

Established in 2000 in honor of Fritz Jensen by his late wife Lavinia, the Jensen Foundation has supported 475 singers with more than $1 million in grants.

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