9th Annual Handel Aria Competition
August 19, 2022, at 7:30pm CDT
Grace Episcopal Church, Madison, Wisconsin
The 9th Annual Handel Aria Competition took place August 19th, 2022 at 7:30pm at the Grace Episcopal Church, Madison, Wisconsin. The finalists were selected from a field of 150 applications from around the world and accompanied by the Madison Bach Musicians under the direction of Trevor Stephenson.
Winners
First prize: Joanne Evans, mezzo
Second prize: Omar Najmi, tenor
Third prize: Emily Donato, soprano
Final Round Judges
The judges for the final round of the 9th annual Handel Aria Competition were dramaturg Roger Pines, HAC founding Artistic Director Cheryl Bensman-Rowe, and Haymarket Opera Company General Director Chase Hopkins.
Cheryl Bensman-Rowe
After 22 years with the Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF), Cheryl Bensman-Rowe has retired as Artistic Director of MEMF at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was also the founding Artistic Director of the Handel Aria Competition. Ms. Bensman-Rowe received a Grammy for the Nonesuch recording of Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich and has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Ravinia, St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, and in North and South America, Europe, Japan, as a soloist and with the ensembles The Waverly Consort, Pomerium Musices, Western Wind Vocal Ensemble, and the Philip Glass Ensemble. She has recorded for Nonesuch, ECM, and CBS Masterworks. In Wisconsin, she has performed with the Madison Opera, Madison Symphony, Madison Choral Project, Opera for the Young, Green Bay Civic Symphony, and Present Music in Milwaukee. A former faculty member at Vanderbilt University and UW-Oshkosh, she currently teaches adults and high school students in her private studio in Madison, WI.
Chase Hopkins
Chase Hopkins is currently serving as the general director of Chicago’s acclaimed Haymarket Opera Company. Since 2020, Hopkins has Haymarket through its tenth anniversary season featuring three innovative cinematic productions of Handel operas that received praise from international press as “an inspiring and relevant modern production” (Operawire) and “a superb document of a Handel opera” (Chicago Tribune). Performances have reached over 800,000 audiences and gained recognition through national broadcasts on the WFMT Saturday matinee opera series, alongside top opera companies from around the world including the Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera House, Royal Opera House, and more. Hopkins has welcomed top artists including Bejun Mehta and Nicole Cabell to Haymarket, and in 2023 will release the company’s first commercial recording with Chicago’s legendary record label, Cedille Records, who have recorded top Chicago artists and ensembles for over three decades. Hopkins brings expertise to Haymarket as both a performer and creative producer. His own singing career included a strong focus on Baroque opera, having performed with distinguished conductors at festivals across Europe and the United States including Rene Jacobs, Jonathan Cohen, and Christian Curnyn. On the operatic stage, Hopkins has been described as a “strong and convincing presence” (Opera Today) and has been praised for delivering “thoughtful and disciplined” performances (Operawire). He holds a bachelor’s degree in performance, arts administration, and musicology from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in the United Kingdom. Hopkins is the founding artistic director of Opera Edwardsville (Illinois), a role he maintains while serving as Haymarket Opera Company’s general director. Chase is currently receiving executive training at the Harvard Business School.
Roger Pines
A panelist on the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts’ “Opera Quiz” since the 2005-06 season, Roger Pines recently completed his 26-year tenure at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Among the many roles he filled were dramaturg, commentator for Lyric’s live opening-night broadcasts, program editor, pre-performance lecturer, and special lecturer/consultant for the company’s young-artist program. Pines previously held positions at San Diego Opera, The Dallas Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera. In addition to the Handel Aria Competition, he has judged for such prestigious vocal competitions as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the national competitions of both Classical Singer and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. A contributor of articles and reviews for important American and European publications – among them Opera News, Opera magazine, and The Times (London) –as well as for programs of every major North American opera company, Pines has also written program notes for CDs on seven major labels. In recent seasons Pines has lectured at the San Francisco Opera, the Curtis Institute of Music, Chicago’s renowned Newberry Library, and the Opera Department of the University of Texas at Austin. During 2021-22, for the third consecutive year, Pines taught the opera repertoire course at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
Finalists
Hugh Davis, baritone
Hugh Davis is a dedicated young baritone aspiring to make a career in both opera and art song. He has recently won second prize in the Seattle Opera Guild’s Singer Development Awards Auditions and was named a national semi-finalist in the 2021 and 2022 National Association of Teachers of Singing Competitions. Hugh spent two consecutive summers in Los Angeles at Songfest, where he performed in Schubert masterclasses and concerts curated by Graham Johnson. While attending Pacific Lutheran University, Hugh has sung the roles of the Forester in Leoš Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Dr. Falke in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, the Pirate King in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, the Learned Judge in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, and most recently the title role in Händel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto. In the summer of 2021, Hugh performed the role of Jupiter in an English version of Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld at the Utah Vocal Arts Academy. He has sung many times with his hometown opera company, Vashon Opera, where he has performed roles such as Thierry in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, The Jailer in Puccini’s Tosca, Marchese d’Obigny in Verdi’s La Traviata, and most recently Vicomte Cascada in Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow. Hugh graduated magna cum laude from Pacific Lutheran University in Spring 2022 where he studied with Holly Boaz and this fall will attend the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana where he joins the studio of baritone Nathan Gunn.
Emily Donato, soprano
Soprano Emily Donato, born and based in New York City, enjoys connecting with audiences through performances of music ranging from Baroque to Contemporary works. She most recently appeared as the soprano soloist in Bach’s B Minor Mass with Voices of Ascension directed by Maestro Dennis Keene. In 2021, she was awarded first prize in the Lyndon-Woodside Oratorio Competition held in NYC’s historic Riverside Church. In 2019 Ms. Donato appeared as a featured soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass on Yale Schola Cantorum and Juilliard415’s Scandinavian Tour. Later that year, she performed J.S. Bach’s Cantata 82A Ich Habe Genug with Maestro Masaaki Suzuki and members of Juilliard415 at the celebration of American Friends of Bach Collegium Japan held at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence in New York City. Ms. Donato has worked with conductors David Hill, Nicholas McGegan, Simon Carrington and Leon Botstein. Emily holds her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Bard College, and her Master’s in Music from the Yale School of Music, where she studied as a member of the Yale Voxtet.
Joanne Evans, mezzo
Hailed as “a singer to watch” (Classical Voice America), London-born mezzo-soprano Joanne Evans prides herself on her versatility in spanning various musical genres – and on her comedic timing. As City Journal wrote, “From the moment that Evans stepped onstage…one recognized the presence of a star”. Of Joanne’s performance as Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff at Berkshire Opera Festival, Opera News wrote that her “striking personal timbre and refined artistry… made [for] a memorable Meg—not always an easy feat.”
From September Joanne will embark on her role as Resident Artist with Opera Colorado, performing the roles of Maddalena in Rigoletto, Lucienne in Die tote Stadt, and on tour as Stéphano in Romeo et Juliette. This Summer, Joanne was delighted to make her role debut as Olga in Eugene Onegin with Music Academy of the West.
With great pride, Joanne has been credited as co-writer and vocalist of the theme tune for the BBC primetime show Pitch Battle (2017). Joanne was recently named winner of the Met Opera Competition Boston District (2022), and winner of a Career Bridges grant (2022).
Alongside singer and conductor, Micah Gleason, Joanne is a co-founder of Loam, an artistic partnership presenting semi-immersive musical works.
A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Joanne is in her second year of the Vocal Arts Program at Bard College Conservatory, studying with Edith Bers. In her first year at Bard, Joanne performed the role of Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium, directed by Stephanie Blythe, and soon after appeared as an Alto soloist in Mahler’s 2nd Symphony with The Orchestra Now, conducted by Leon Botstein.
Katie Koester, soprano
Praised for her “rich, soaring soprano” and “crystalline tone” (Opera News) in repertoire from the Baroque to the modern, Maya Kherani is currently a Resident Artist at Opera San José for the 2020-21 season. Career highlights include starring in the title role of Handel’s Partenope with Opera NEO, Bea in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers opposite Susan Graham at Opera San José, and Meera in the world premiere of River of Light, commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera. Upcoming engagements include Drusilla/Fortuna (Poppea cover) in L’incoronazione di Poppea at the 2022 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence under the baton of Leonardo Garcia Alarcón, Messiah with Boston Baroque, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas at Opera San José, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Modesto, and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera San José. She received First Place and the Audience Favorite award at the James Toland Vocal Competition (Tier II), the 2015 McGlone Award from Central City Opera, two fellowships to travel to Venice from the Fondazione Giorgio Cini (Seminari di Musica Antica), two Encouragement Awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and last year, was the only American soprano to compete as a Semifinalist in the international Glyndebourne Opera Cup. Prior to her singing career, Ms. Kherani graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with a BSE in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Omar Najmi, tenor
Lauded as “a world-class voice in every respect”
for his recent performances in the title role in
the world premiere of Joseph Summer’s Hamlet, tenor Omar Najmi enjoys a versatile career in concert and on the operatic stage. His recent performances include Tybalt in Romeo et Juliette with Boston Lyric Opera, Rodolfo in La Boheme with Opera Steamboat, Bilal in the world premiere of This Is Not That Dawn with Catalyst New Music, tenor soloist in St. John Passion with Emmanuel Music, and Alfredo in La Traviata with MassOpera. His upcoming season includes his debut with Portland Opera as Shakur in Thumbprint, Lord Byron in the premiere of The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage with Guerilla Opera, and a staged performance of Schumann’s Dichterliebe with Boston Opera Collaborative. Omar is currently a Lorraine Hunt Lieberson fellow with Emmanuel Music, where he is a regular soloist in the Bach cantata series, and where he appeared last season as San Giovanni in Handel’s La Resurrezione. Omar has appeared in over 15 roles with Boston Lyric Opera, including Vanya Kudrjas in Katya Kabanova, Nick in The Handmaid’s Tale, and Beppe in I Pagliacci. In 2018, Omar made his Carnegie Hall debut as the tenor soloist in Mark Hayes’ Gloria. Also active as a composer, Omar is a two-time recipient of the Live Arts Boston grant, with which he has premiered his operas En la ardiente oscuridad and This Is Not That Dawn. He has had works commissioned by Boston Lyric Opera, White Snake Projects, and Emmanuel Music.
Gabriela Estephanie Solís, mezzo
Mezzo-soprano Gabriela Estephanie Solís has been hailed for her “rich tone” and “moving expressiveness” (San Francisco Classical Voice). Her varied solo repertoire ranges from Bach’s B Minor Mass (American Bach Soloists Festival and Academy) to Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody and Copland’s In the Beginning (University of Notre Dame), as well as Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos (Minnesota Orchestra). She is in demand as a soloist in the San Francisco Bay Area for works including Rachmaninoff’s All-night Vigil, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and various masses and cantatas by J.S Bach (California Bach Society and Chora Nova). Most recently, Gabriela made her debut with Seraphic Fire as a soloist and chorister in Handel’s Messiah. She also performed as a soloist with the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra, singing selections from Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder, and with the Georgetown Chorale for Beethoven’s Mass in C. On the stage, she participated in the Boston Early Music Festival Young Artist Training Program for performances of Handel’s Orlando (Medoro). Other opera experience includes Handel’s Alcina (Bradamante) and Cavalli’s La Calisto (Endimione) at San Francisco State University under the direction of Christine Brandes, as well as scenes from Cavalli’s L’Erismena (Orineo) at the Amherst Early Music Festival. Gabriela won first place in the 2018 Bethlehem Bach Aria Competition and second place in the 2021 NATS Mid-Atlantic regionals and was a finalist in the 2021 Audrey Rooney Kentucky Bach competition. She is a graduate of the Sacred Music program at the University of Notre Dame, where she co-wrote winning performing arts grants and received the program’s vocal performance award.
Logan Tanner, countertenor
Praised for his “striking musicality, clarity, and strong coloratura” (Opera Canada), countertenor Logan Tanner has performed on operatic stages throughout the United States and abroad.
In the 2021-2022 season, Tanner Made company debuts with Opera Santa Barbara in the role of Athamas in Handel’s Semele, Gulfshore Opera as Prince Orlofsky in J. Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, and Opera San José as the Spirit in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.
Tanner has garnered awards in numerous competitions, placing first in the American Prize Opera Competition, the Choralis Young Artist Competition, Ise-Shima International Singing Competition, New Opera Stars Vocal Competition, New York Classical Music Society International Competition, and the Vano Visioli International Opera Competition. He took third prize in the Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition and the Lyra New York International Competition and 5th in the Opera Tools International Competition and has won the Pasadena Vocal Competition Special Encouragement Award. In addition, Tanner was granted honorable mention by the NOMEA International Competition and the Vienna New Year Concert International Competition.
Tanner has been a Stern fellow at SongFest, and a Vocal Fellow at The Music Academy of the West, where he worked with famed mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne. He has been engaged as soloist with the Portland Baroque Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Europa, North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, the Harrisburg Camerata, the Axelrod Performing Arts Center, New York Repertory Orchestra, the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey, Choralis, Chorus Austin, New York Chamber Choir, the Henry Purcell Society of Boston, La Fiocco, the Arcadia Players, and the Westchester Oratorio Society.
Program
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Watch 2022’s Competition
View past performances by finalists and competition winners on our YouTube channel.
Handel Aria Competition 