Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in UALR’s Fine Arts Building will be the site of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Jan. 15 for the Arkansas District.

Young singers from across Arkansas and around the nation will perform and compete in the auditions as part of a program designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers.  The auditions are held annually in 41 districts within 14 regions in the United States and Canada.

Top performers will win cash awards as well as the opportunity to advance to the regional finals on Feb. 5 at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre in Memphis. The winners of the regional finals win a trip to New York to participate in the national semi-finals, a competition held on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.  From there, national finalists compete in a public concert, accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Judges of the Little Rock auditions will include John Wustman, distinguished American collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and teacher; Sunny Joy Langton, international opera star and a winner of the Met Opera Auditions; and Roger Pines, editorial dramaturge of Lyric Opera Chicago.

For more information, call the Department of Music at 501-569-3294.