Irene Dalis Vocal Competition Finalists and Winners, 2007 – present:

2013

1st Prize – Katharine Gunnink, soprano
2nd Prize – Christie Hageman, soprano
3rd prize – Lisa Chavez, mezzo-soprano
Audience Choice – Christie Hageman, soprano

Finalists: Jennie Litster, soprano; James Callon, tenor; Betany Coffland, mezzo-soprano; Isaiah Musik-Ayala, baritone; Christie Hageman, soprano; Katharine Gunnink, soprano; Silas Elash, bass; Lisa Chavez, mezzo-soprano; Alexander Boyer, tenor; Christina Major, soprano.

Judges: Ian Campell, General and Artistic Director, San Diego Opera; Dale Johnson, Artistic Director, Minnesota Opera, Joshua Winograde, Senior Director, Artistic Planning, Los Angeles Opera.

Preliminary Judges: Brian Asher Alhadeff, Artistic and General Director, Opera San Luis Obispo; Robert Ashens, Artistic Director and Conductor, West Coast Opera/Opera Oregon; David Cox, Stage Director.

2012

1st Prize – Rebecca Davis, soprano
2nd Prize – Maria McDaniel, mezzo-soprano
3rd Prize – Cesar Sanchez, tenor
Audience Choice – Cesar Sanchez, tenor

Finalists: Christie Hageman, soprano; Mathew Edwardsen, tenor; Maria McDaniel, mezzo-soprano; Silas Elash, bass; Kearstin Piper Brown, soprano; Rebecca Davis, soprano; Cesar Sanchez, tenor; Julie Anne Miller, mezzo-soprano; Krassen Karagiozov, baritone; Christina Major, soprano.

Judges: Henry Akina, General & Artistic Director, Hawaii Opera Theatre; Ward Holmquist, Artistic Director, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Brad Trexell, Director of Artistic Operations, Opera Colorado.

Preliminary Judges: Richard Harrell, Opera Program Director, SF Conservatory of Music; Peter Jaffe, Music Director and Conductor, Stockton Symphony; Timm Rolek, Artistic Director and Conductor, Lake Tahoe Music Festival.

2011

1st Prize – Alexandra LoBianco, soprano; Florida
2nd Prize – Evan Brummel, baritone; California
3rd Prize – Christopher Bengochea, tenor; Montana
Audience Choice Award – Alexandra LoBianco, soprano; Florida

Finalists: Evgenia Chaverdova, mezzo-soprano, Russia; Rebecca Davis, soprano, Nevada; Jasmina Halimic, soprano, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Jouvanca Jean-Baptiste, soprano, New York, (Wagner Award); Krassen Karagiozov, baritone, Bulgaria; Jennie Litster, soprano, Nevada; Shawnette Sulker, soprano; Guyana

Judges: Scott Altman, General Director of Arizona Opera; Aren Der Hacopian, Artistic Administrator and Director of the Young Artists Program of Seattle Opera; Peter Jaffe, Music Director and Conductor of Stockton Symphony

Preliminary Judges: Timm Rolek, Artistic Director of Sacramento Opera; Michael Ballam, General Director of the Utah Festival Opera; Lotfi Mansouri, former General Director of San Francisco Opera

2010

1st Prize – Danielle Talamantes, soprano; Virginia
2nd Prize – Jonathan Beyer, baritone; Pennsylvania
3rd Prize – Jerett Gieseler, baritone; Michigan
Audience Choice Award – Danielle Talamantes, soprano; Virginia

Finalists: Betany Coffland, mezzo-soprano, Kansas; Michele Detwiler, mezzo-soprano, Idaho; Silas Elash, bass, California, (Wagner Award); Kathryn Leemhuis, mezzo-soprano, Ohio; Nova Safo, tenor, California; Lisa van der Ploeg, mezzo-soprano, California; Kyungmook Yum, baritone, New Jersey

Judges: James Caraher, artistic director of Indianapolis Opera; Lotfi Mansouri, former general director of San Francisco Opera and the Canadian Opera Company; Christina Scheppelmann, director of artistic operations at Washington National Opera and former artistic administrator at San Francisco Opera

2009

1st Prize – Jordan Shanahan, baritone; Hawaii
2nd Prize – Gregory Carroll, tenor; Washington (Wagner Award)
3rd Prize – Audrey Luna, soprano; Hawaii
Audience Choice Award – Jordan Shanahan, baritone; Hawaii

Finalists: Alexander Boyer, tenor, California; Mathew Edwardsen, tenor, California; Jin Ho Hwang, tenor, New Jersey; Sarah Kleeman, mezzo-soprano, New York; Karin Mushegain, mezzo-soprano, California; Danielle Talamantes, soprano, Virginia; Kyungmook Yum, baritone, New York

Judges: Michael Ballam, founder and general director of Utah Festival Opera; Michael Ching, artistic and general director of Opera Memphis; Peter Mark, artistic director of Virginia Opera

2008

1st Prize – Scott Bearden, baritone; New York
2nd Prize – Arthur Espiritu, tenor; Arizona
3rd Prize – Eugene Chan, baritone; California
Audience Choice Award – Scott Bearden, baritone; New York

Finalists: Sharin Apostolou, soprano, Oregon; Christopher Bengochea, tenor, California; Christopher Clayton, baritone, Oregon; Mathew Edwardsen, tenor, California; Kenneth Mattice, baritone, California; Hannah Penn, mezzo-soprano, Oregon; Scott Six, tenor, New Jersey, (Wagner Award)

Judges:

Ian D. Campbell, general director and artistic director of San Diego Opera; Janice Mancini Del Sesto, general director of Boston Lyric Opera; Peter Mark, artistic director of Virginia Opera

2007

1st Prize – NaGuanda Nobles, soprano; Florida
2nd Prize – Kristin Rothfuss, mezzo-soprano; California
3rd Prize – Oksana Sitnitska, mezzo-soprano; Ukraine
Audience Choice Award – Scott Bearden, baritone; Michigan

Finalists: Scott Bearden, baritone, Michigan; Christopher Clayton, baritone, Utah; Jason Detwiler, baritone, California; Adam Flowers, tenor, California; Kimberly Giordano, soprano, New York; Alaine Rodin, soprano, California; Scott Six, tenor, California;