ABOUT THE LAFFONT COMPETITION
The Mission of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition is:
To discover exceptional young talent and provide a venue for young opera singers across North America at all levels of development, to be heard by representatives of the Metropolitan Opera and to assist those with the greatest potential for operatic careers.
To discover exceptional young talent and provide a venue for young opera singers across North America at all levels of development, to be heard by representatives of the Metropolitan Opera and to assist those with the greatest potential for operatic careers.
Held annually in 37 Districts and 12 Regions across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, hundreds of volunteers fundraise, operate, and support the efforts of the Competition and its singers. Some of today’s greatest opera stars got their start in the competition, including Jamie Barton, Stephanie Blythe, Lawrence Brownlee, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Michael Fabiano, Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Ryan Speedo Green, Lisette Oropesa, Eric Owens, Nadine Sierra, and Christian Van Horn. Click the button below for a full list.
How It Works
There are 5 levels of competition: Qualifying Round, District Competition, Regional Competition, National Semi-Finals, and National Grand Finals.
The Competition is open to singers between the ages of 20 and 30 years old. Singers submit applications and video performance recordings to the Met for consideration in the Qualifying Round. This year, over 1,450 singers applied and approximately 900 will be accepted to compete in the District Competitions. Once notified, singers next select the district where they wish to compete from the list of 37 Districts provided by the Met.
Approximately 25 – 30 singers compete in each District for prize money and an opportunity to advance to the Regional level. For singers competing in the Connecticut District on October 13, 2024, winning Finalists will move on to the New England Regional Competition in Boston on Sunday, January 26, 2025.
Winners from the Regional Competitions advance to the National Semi-Finals, on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at the Met. Finalists from that group advance to the National Grand Finals where they spend the week between Semi-Finals and Grand Finals at the Met in rehearsals, private coaching sessions, and classes on various aspects of performing and managing their careers. The Grand Finals will take place on the stage of the Met with full orchestra on Sunday, March 16, 2025. This is a ticketed event, open to the public.
The Competition is open to singers between the ages of 20 and 30 years old. Singers submit applications and video performance recordings to the Met for consideration in the Qualifying Round. This year, over 1,450 singers applied and approximately 900 will be accepted to compete in the District Competitions. Once notified, singers next select the district where they wish to compete from the list of 37 Districts provided by the Met.
Approximately 25 – 30 singers compete in each District for prize money and an opportunity to advance to the Regional level. For singers competing in the Connecticut District on October 13, 2024, winning Finalists will move on to the New England Regional Competition in Boston on Sunday, January 26, 2025.
Winners from the Regional Competitions advance to the National Semi-Finals, on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at the Met. Finalists from that group advance to the National Grand Finals where they spend the week between Semi-Finals and Grand Finals at the Met in rehearsals, private coaching sessions, and classes on various aspects of performing and managing their careers. The Grand Finals will take place on the stage of the Met with full orchestra on Sunday, March 16, 2025. This is a ticketed event, open to the public.
To follow the progress of our Connecticut District winners,
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click on the Contact tab and sign up for our mailing list!