A £2,000 award and a contract to perform at The Grange Festival Chorus are up for grabs, as an opera theatre wait to announce their singer of the year.
Hurn Court Opera announced they will give the award to the winner of this year’s HCO Singer of the Year competition, to be held at Bournemouth University on Sunday, November 20.
Sponsored by Nigel Beale, the £2000 prize, to be known as The Nigel Beale Grange Festival First Prize, also carries the promise of work with Hurn Court Opera.
CEO and artistic director of The Grange Festival Michael Chance CBE and the festival’s director of artistic administration Scott Cooper will join the judging panel for the semi-finals and finals of the competition.
Lynton Atkinson, artistic director of HCO, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled about this collaboration. Our purpose is to provide high-quality performance opportunities to young singers at the start of their careers.
“So the fact that success in our competition could lead to additional opportunities with our friends at The Grange Festival is a huge bonus, as anyone who has enjoyed an opera in those very special surroundings will appreciate.”
Previous winners include sopranos Siân Dicker, Milly Forrest and Shakira Tsindos.
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