Shreveport Opera will be using a YAP Tracker application for the Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition this season. You do not need to be a paying subscriber to YAP Tracker to use the application form, although you will need an account (guest accounts are available; see the website for details).

Registration for YAP Tracker  |  Description of the competition

2011 Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Thomas Florio

On Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 1 p.m. at the Anderson Auditorium of Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport Opera hosted its annual Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition, Shreveport's only national singing competition. Contestants traveled from across the country to vie for the title of Singer of the Year. The Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Thomas Florio of Manassas, Virginia was awarded a top prize of $2500.

Local favorite Vincent Turregano, a graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana and current graduate student at LSU-BR, was awarded 3rd prize: The Robert J. Murray Award.

A surprise to this year’s competition came when William Florescu, Singer of the Year Competition Judge and General Director of Florentine Opera, offered a role in an upcoming mainstage production to 2nd prize winner Jenni Bank.

About The Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition
Annually, Shreveport Opera hosts the Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition, Shreveport's only national singing competition. Contestants travel from all around the country to vie for the title of Singer of the Year. With that title, an opera singer can increase his or her chance of being cast in the top opera houses in the world. Over the past years, the grand prize winners have gone on to secure leading roles in some of the most famous opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and many more!

According to an article published in the New York Times that reviewed the Metropolitan National Council Auditions, a singer doesn't reach his full vocal range until the ages of 30 and 35. So, often these "young artists", between the ages of 18 and 35, are preparing for their careers in opera by gaining early exposure. Shreveport Opera's contest, like other singing competitions across America, offers these young artists just that, exposure to hiring units for major opera companies in America. Essentially, it's a chance for them to audition for some of the most prestigious opera company directors in America and a chance for them to build their reputations as singers.

Singers in the competition must have performed at least one major role with a university, summer vocal program, or professional opera company to qualify. The contestants then go through the preliminary section of the contest, which is based on a professionally recorded CD containing three arias submitted by each applicant. From these applicants, 30 are chosen to participate in the semifinals, which requires each singer to sing one aria of his or her choice and one aria per the judge's request. The judges then choose ten finalists who compete in the Finalists Concert.

Prizes include the Grand Prize, The Mary Jacobs Smith Award of $2500. Second prize is The Charles Maggio Award of $2000. Third Prize is The Robert J. Murray Award of $1,500 and Fourth Prize is The Rae Selber Memorial Fund Award of $500. Also awarded are seven Honorable Mention Awards of $250 each and one Opera Guild Audience Choice Award of $250.