Richard Tucker Music Foundation

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The Richard Tucker Music Foundation, founded in 1975 by his widow, Sara Tucker, at the suggestion of Herman Krawitz, former Assistant Manager of the Metropolitan Opera and the key designer of the "New Met" in Lincoln Center. The Foundation was created in honor of the American opera singer Richard Tucker, who performed the major Verdi, Puccini, Leoncavallo, and Mozart roles at the Metropolitan Opera from his debut in 1945 until his sudden death from a heart attack in 1975, one week short of his 30th consecutive season as one of the company's leading tenors. The foundation is best known for awarding the annual Richard Tucker award, given to a young opera singer "on the threshold of a major international career," and for hosting the associated annual gala and concert.

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The Sara Tucker Study Grant awards US$5,000 unrestricted grants to singers under the age of 27 who are selected through a vocal competition. Applicants must be recent graduates from a university or music conservatory and should be making the transition from student to professional singer. A candidate should have recently completed a graduate degree program or work in a young artist or Apprentice program at a regional company. Notable winners of this award include: Michael Maniaci (2002), Sarah Coburn (2004), and Lisette Oropesa (2007). [1]

The Richard Tucker Career Grant awards US$10,000 unrestricted grants to singers, selected through a vocal competition, who have begun professional careers and who have already performed roles with opera companies nationally or internationally. A Career Grant candidate must be 36 years old or younger and should have a fair amount of performing experience in professional companies. Notable winners of this award include: June Anderson, Brian Asawa, Harolyn Blackwell, Stephanie Blythe, Christine Goerke, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Jerry Hadley, John Keyes, Chris Merritt, Stephanie Novacek, and Chad Shelton. [2]

The Richard Tucker Award is awarded to a single performer who has "reached a high level of artistic accomplishment and who, in the opinion of a conferral panel, is on the threshold of a major international career". The Richard Tucker Award, which includes a $50,000 cash prize, is selected by committee and not audition. The operative guideline for the Richard Tucker Award is that it be awarded to "an American singer poised on the edge of a major national and international career, and it is hoped that the award acts as a well-timed catalyst to elevate the artist's career to even greater heights." [3]

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation also offers programs such as master classes and concerts in a variety of community settings which provide performance opportunities for award winners and enrich the cultural life of the communities in which they take place. These concerts are frequently broadcast on the radio. [4]

Richard Tucker Award recipients

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References

  1. ↑ Previous Study Grants Archived March 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Richard Tucker Career Grant Winners Archived January 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Tommasini, Anthony (November 12, 2012). "Starry Arias and a Duet With Chemistry". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Richard Tucker Music Foundation" . Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  5. ↑ Cooper, Michael (April 18, 2017). "Listen to the Young Soprano Who Is Winning Awards and Acclaim". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  6. ↑ "2018 Richard Tucker Award Goes To Christian Van Horn", Opera News Desk, broadwayworld.com, April 9, 2018
  7. ↑ Cooper, Michael (April 8, 2019). "She Runs Marathons and Sings Opera. And She Just Won $50,000". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
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