Fort Worth Opera (FWO) and the McCammon Voice Competition Committee announced August 5 that the 2020 Competition has been cancelled due to uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The committee has informed each of the 30 semi-finalists that they will be granted an award of $300 to provide some financial relief during these difficult times, the opera said in a news release.
Semi-finalists will also be highlighted on the websites and social media platforms of both organizations in the months ahead.
Originally scheduled to take place April 3 and 4, the competition was postponed until the fall, but holding a public event of this magnitude while coronavirus cases continue to rise in North Texas, would simply be misguided at this point in time, the news release said.
The talented 2020 semi-finalist competitors are SeokJong Baek, Rachel Blaustein, Leah Brzyski, Teresa Castillo, Wonjin Choi, Taylor Comstock, Joshua Conyers, Sylvia D’Eramo, Jesse Donner, Dylan Elza, Jessica Faselt, Rudolph Giron, Elana Gleason, Jana McIntyre, LaMarcus Miller, Megan Moore, Tshilidzi Ndou, Alexandra Nowakowski, Ndumiso Nyoka, John Park, Nikola Printz, Matthew Reese, Alexandra Rodrick, Brooklyn Snow, Catherine Swindle, Wm. Clay Thompson, Elena Villalón, Ethan Vincent, Boya Wei, and Junbo Zhou.
The announcement said the opera and the voice competition committee do not know when the next competition might be produced, but will continue to monitor the situation over the coming months.
Ticketholders for the semi-finals and finals of the competition can donate the value of their previously purchased tickets to the McCammon, or hold a credit in their account until the next competition is announced, the news release said.
Since its debut in 1985, the McCammon has become one of the most prestigious operatic events in the world, the opera said, showcasing some of the most compelling young singers of the 21st century.