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Commentary

15 Jan 2019

Plácido Domingo awarded Honorary Fellowship of the International Opera Awards

A patron of the International Opera Awards since their inception, legendary tenor Plácido Domingo will receive the first ever Honorary Fellowship of the Opera Awards Foundation at a fundraising evening on Monday 28 January at the Royal Society of Arts, London.

Above: Plácido Domingo

 

The evening will comprise of an illustrated talk, The Domingo Phenomenon, from his biographer Helena Matheopoulos who will then invite Domingo onto the stage to join her for a Q&A session that will include the audience. Drinks and canapés will end the evening with Domingo meeting audience members.

Plácido Domingo is a world-renowned, multifaceted artist who is recognized as one of the finest and most influential singing actors in the history of opera. He is also a conductor and a major force as an opera administrator in his role as Eli and Edythe Broad General Director of Los Angeles Opera. His repertoire now encompasses 151 roles, with almost 4,000 career performances.

Plácido Domingo comments:

“Luke in the New Testament says ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’ This is a sentiment that is very important to me as I believe all artists have a duty to mentor and support young talent. As the founder of the Operalia Competition and named Young Artist programmes at Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera and in Valencia, I have always made the promotion of young singers one of the most important things I do.

“I’m delighted that the Opera Awards Foundation has made such a huge contribution to the lives of hundreds of young singers and people wanting careers in this profession. It is a pleasure to support them and I am honoured to accept the Fellowship of the Opera Awards Foundation.”

Harry Hyman, Founder of the International Opera Awards & the Opera Awards Foundation commented:

“In centuries to come people will marvel at Plácido Domingo’s extraordinary career and be envious of those of us who have been privileged to experience his artistry. No other singer has ever had a career that comes close to matching his.

“As Patron of the International Opera Awards, Maestro Domingo has supported the growth of the Awards and the inception of our Foundation which has awarded almost 100 bursaries to young singers and other aspiring artists to help them establish their careers.”

Founded in 2012, by opera lover and philanthropist Harry Hyman, the International Opera Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in opera around the world. The Awards aim to raise the profile of opera as an art form, to recognise and reward success in opera and to generate funds to provide bursaries for aspiring operatic talent from around the world. Since 2012 over £330,000 has been raised by the Opera Awards Foundation. Judging of the International Opera Awards is carried out by a jury of industry professionals headed by Opera magazine editor John Allison.

The Opera Awards Foundation was founded in 2012 by Harry Hyman and John Allison who recognised that there were many artistically talented individuals whose potential was not being nurtured to development. The Foundation awards annual bursaries to aspiring operatic talent. There are no restrictions on age or nationality, nor is support limited to singers: applications are encouraged from any artist working toward a career in opera, who needs financial support to achieve their career goals.

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