On February 25, 2022, the George London Foundation Competition will return from a one-year postponement for its 50^th anniversary event.

This year’s event will be held without an audience, being live streamed for free via the foundation’s website, Facebook, and YouTube pages. Following three days of semi-final rounds, roughly a dozen finalists will perform at The Morgan Library & Museum’s Gilder Lehrman Hall.

The panel of judges for this year includes soprano Harolyn Blackwell, mezzo Susan Quittmeyer, bass James Morris, and foundation Executive Director John Hauser.

But the biggest news is that soprano Susanna Phillips, herself a 2005 award winner, will host the event. The finalists will each sing one aria, and will be accompanied by pianist Michael Fennelly.

Up to five singers will receive the George London Award, with the prize being $10k, with the remaining finalists receiving Encouragement Awards of $2k. Since its founding in 1971, the competition has given away $2 million in prizes, and has nurtured the careers of artists such as Christine Brewer Joyce DiDonato, Renee Fleming, Christine Goerke, Catherine Malfitano, James Morris, Matthews Polenzani, Sondra Radvanovsky, and more.

The George London Foundation’s season is set to continue on April 24, 2022, with a recital by tenor Aaron Blake and pianist Ken Noda.