Audience Will Vote for Favorite Student Performers in Upcoming Caine College Aria Competition

Utah State University's Caine College of the Arts will host its annual Aria Competition at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Not only will the audience learn more of what the opera is really about, but they can pick their favorites during these competitive performances promising emotionally moving pieces.

“These artists are standing right in front of you, telling you, singing to you — live, and from the heart, that love is strong and worth fighting for,” said Assistant Professor of Voice Thomas Glenn. “Your life can change in a moment by attending live performance and making a real human connection.”

The competition condenses the usual three-hour opera into a 45-minute performance.

"Arias are these poignant moments of emotional expression, often outside the narrative of the operatic drama,” Glenn said. “They not only convince us of inward conflict and desire, but also show the dazzling technical/musical prowess of the artist.”

Each performance will be judged, and a winner will be selected. The audience will also vote to select their favorite performer as the crowd favorite.

“Past years’ winners have gone on to professional performance careers of their own and to graduate schools across the nation,” Glenn said. “It’s exciting for an audience to witness a future star in embryo at a competition such as this.”

The competition will be free and open to the public, and a livestream of the event will be available on the CCA YouTube channel. For more information, refer to the calendar event.