The Richard Tucker Music Foundation, founded in 1975, carries the name of

Richard Tucker Richard Tucker (August 28, 1913January 8, 1975) was an American operatic tenor and cantor. Long associated with the Metropolitan Opera, Tucker's career was primarily centered in the United States. Early life Tucker was born Rivn (Rubin) Ticker ...

. The foundation is a "non-profit cultural organization dedicated to perpetuating the artistic legacy of the great American

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

through the support and advancement of the careers of talented American

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

singers by bringing opera into the community. The Foundation seeks to heighten appreciation for opera by offering free performances in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...

and by supporting music education enrichment programs." Through awards, grants for study, performance opportunities and other career-enhancing activities the foundation provides professional development for singers at several levels of career-readiness.

Details

The Sara Tucker Study Grant awards US$5,000 unrestricted grants to singers under the age of 27 who are selected through a vocal competition. Applicants must be recent graduates from a university or music conservatory and should be making the transition from student to professional singer. A candidate should have recently completed a graduate degree program or work in a young artist or Apprentice program at a regional company. Notable winners of this awards include:

Michael Maniaci Michael Maniaci (born May 3, 1976) is an American opera singer. Possessing a male soprano voice, Maniaci is noted for his claim to be able to sing into the upper soprano range without resorting to falsetto, an otherwise common phonation for me ...

(2002),

Sarah Coburn Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pio ...

(2004),

Lisette Oropesa Lisette Oropesa (born September 29, 1983) is an American operatic soprano of Cuban ancestry. She has a wide repertoire that includes works from Gluck, Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Wagner, Verdi, Bizet, Massenet and Puccini. With her lyric ...

(2007). The Richard Tucker Career Grant awards US$10,000 unrestricted grants to singers, selected through a vocal competition, who have begun professional careers and who have already performed roles with opera companies nationally or internationally. A Career Grant candidate must be 36 years old or younger and should have a fair amount of performing experience in professional companies. Notable winners of this awards include:

June Anderson June Anderson (born December 30, 1952) is a Grammy Award-winning American coloratura soprano. She is known for ''bel canto'' performances of Rossini, Donizetti, and Vincenzo Bellini. Subsequently, she has extended her repertoire to include a wid ...

Brian Asawa Brian Asawa (October 1, 1966 – April 18, 2016) was a Japanese American opera singer who sang as a countertenor. About Asawa, '' Opera News'' stated: "In his prime, Asawa was an electric performer, his fearless performing style supported by a vo ...

Harolyn Blackwell Harolyn Blackwell (born November 23, 1955) is an American lyric coloratura soprano who has performed in many of the world's finest opera houses, concert halls, and theaters in operas, oratorios, recitals, and Broadway musicals. Initially known ...

Stephanie Blythe Stephanie Blythe (born 1970) is an American mezzo-soprano who has had an active international career in operas and concerts since the early 1990s. She is particularly associated with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, with whom she has perfo ...

Christine Goerke Christine Goerke (born 1969) is an American dramatic soprano. Early life and education The daughter of Richard Goerke and Marguerite Goerke, Goerke was born in 1969 in New York State. She grew up in Medford, New York, where she attended Tremont ...

Susan Graham Susan Graham (born July 23, 1960) is an American mezzo-soprano. Life and career Susan Graham was born in Roswell, New Mexico on July 23, 1960. Raised in Midland, Texas, Graham is a graduate of Texas Tech University and the Manhattan School o ...

Nathan Gunn Nathan T. Gunn (born November 26, 1970, in South Bend, Indiana) is an American operatic baritone who performs regularly around the world. He is an alumnus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he is currently a professor of vo ...

Jerry Hadley Jerry Hadley (June 16, 1952 – July 18, 2007) was an American operatic tenor. He received three Grammy awards for his vocal performances in the recordings of ''Jenůfa'' (2004 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording), ''Susannah'' (1995 Grammy Awar ...

, John Keyes,

Chris Merritt Chris Merritt (born September 27, 1952, in Oklahoma City) is an American tenor. Education Merritt began piano studies at 8 years of age with Viola Knight. During this time, he also studied art at the Oklahoma Museum of Art. At 9 years of age he ...

Kelley Nassief Kelley may refer to: * Kelley (name), a given name and surname Places ;United States * Kelley, Iowa * Kelley Hill in Fort Benning, Georgia * Kelley Park, in San Jose, California * Kelley Square, in Worcester, Massachusetts * Kelley Township, ...

, Stephanie Novacek, and

Chad Shelton Chad Shelton (born 1970 in Orange, Texas) is an American operatic tenor. Particularly associated with the Houston Grand Opera (HGO), Shelton has excelled in performances of contemporary American operas and in the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart a ...

. The Richard Tucker Award is awarded to a single performer who has "reached a high level of artistic accomplishment and who, in the opinion of a conferral panel, is on the threshold of a major international career". The Richard Tucker Award is selected by committee and not audition. This prestigious award carries not only the name of Richard Tucker and a cash prize of US$30,000 (2012, 2017–2019: US$50,000), but also a prestigious list of past recipients. The operative guideline for the Richard Tucker Award is that it be awarded to "an American singer poised on the edge of a major national and international career, and it is hoped that the award acts as a well-timed catalyst to elevate the artist's career to even greater heights." In 2012,

Ailyn Pérez Ailyn Pérez (born August 15, 1979) is an American operatic soprano known for her interpretation of Violetta, Mimì and Thaïs. She is a 2019 Opera News Awards Honoree, and the winner of the 2012 Richard Tucker Award. In 2016, she received the ...

was named as the winner of the Richard Tucker Award, making her the first Hispanic singer to receive the award. The Richard Tucker Music Foundation also offers programs such as master classes and concerts in a variety of community settings which provide performance opportunities for award winners and enrich the cultural life of the communities in which they take place. These concerts are frequently broadcast on the radio.

Richard Tucker Award recipients

*1978

Rockwell Blake Rockwell Blake (born January 10, 1951) is an American operatic tenor, particularly known for his roles in Rossini operas. He was the first winner of the Richard Tucker Award. Biography Born and raised in Plattsburgh, NY, Blake was the son of a m ...

*1979

Diana Soviero Diana Soviero (born March 19, 1946, in Jersey City) is an American operatic soprano of international stature, a recipient of the Richard Tucker Award in 1979. Soviero studied at the Juilliard School of Music with Florence Berggren, Marinka Gure ...

*1980

Barry McCauley Barry McCauley (June 25, 1950—October 10, 2001) was an American operatic tenor. He sang leading roles with major opera companies throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Opera and the Paris Opera. McCauley was born in Altoona, Pennsylva ...

*1981 J. Patrick Raftery *1983

Susan Dunn Susan Dunn (born July 23, 1954) is a Grammy Award-winning American spinto soprano who has performed in many of the world's finest opera houses, concert halls, and theaters in operas, oratorios, and concert performances. Dunn is particularly admire ...

*1984

Roger Roloff Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

*1985

Aprile Millo Aprile Millo (born April 14, 1958) is an American operatic soprano who is known for her interpretations of the works of Giuseppe Verdi. Although she has performed at many of the world's leading opera houses and with many orchestras and ensembles ...

*1986 Dolora Zajick *1987

Harry Dworchak Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

*1988

Richard Leech Richard Leeper McClelland (24 November 1922 – 24 March 2004), known professionally as Richard Leech, was an Irish actor. Richard Leeper McClelland was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of Isabella Frances (Leeper) and Herbert Saunderson McCl ...

*1989

Margaret Jane Wray Margaret Jane Wray is an American dramatic soprano known for her interpretations of the works of Richard Wagner. Wray began her career as a member of the Metropolitan Opera's Young Artist program in the mid to late 1980s. She made her debut with t ...

*1990

Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for 1 ...

*1991 No award given *1992

Deborah Voigt Deborah Voigt (born August 4, 1960) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung roles in operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss. Biography and career Early life and education Debbie Joy Voigt was born into a religious Southern Baptist family ...

*1993 Ruth Ann Swenson *1994

Jennifer Larmore Jennifer Larmore (born June 21, 1958) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer, particularly noted for her performances in coloratura and bel canto roles which she has performed in the world's major opera houses.Slonimsky, Nicolas and Kuhn, ...

*1995 Paul Groves *1996

Dwayne Croft Dwayne Croft is an American baritone who has sung in more than 500 performances in 38 roles at the Metropolitan Opera. He won the Richard Tucker Award in 1996. He created the role of Nick Carraway in John Harbison's ''The Great Gatsby'' in 1999, ...

*1997 David Daniels *1998

Patricia Racette Patricia Lynn Racette (born 1965) is an American operatic soprano. A winner of the Richard Tucker Award in 1998, she has been a regular presence at major opera houses internationally. Racette has enjoyed long-term partnerships with the San Francis ...

*1999

*2000 Gregory Turay *2001

*2002

Joyce DiDonato Joyce DiDonato (née Flaherty; born February 13, 1969) is an American lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano. She is notable for her interpretations of operas and concert works in the 19th-century romantic era in addition to works by Handel and Mozart. ...

*2003

John Relyea John Relyea (born 1972 in Toronto) is a Canadian bass-baritone opera singer and winner of the 2003 Richard Tucker Award. He was born in 1972 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Gary Relyea, one of Canada's well-known opera singers, and a native Es ...

*2004

Matthew Polenzani Matthew Polenzani (born 1968) is an American lyric tenor. He has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, Royal Opera House, Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Vienna State Opera, and San Francisco Opera, among others. He h ...

*2005

Eric Cutler Eric Cutler is an American tenor notable for his performances of bel canto repertoire and Mozart operas in particular. He is a native of Adel, Iowa, and a graduate of Luther College. Cutler is an alumnus of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann ...

*2006

Lawrence Brownlee Lawrence Brownlee (born November 24, 1972) is an American operatic tenor particularly associated with the bel canto repertoire. Describing his voice, Speight Jenkins, general director of the Seattle Opera, said: "There are other singers that sing ...

*2007

Brandon Jovanovich Brandon Jovanovich (born 5 October 1970) is an American operatic tenor whose repertoire encompasses Wagner, Puccini, Strauss, Britten, and from early Baroque to world premiere operas. He is most known for his passionate portrayals of Slavic, Frenc ...

*2008 No award given *2009

Stephen Costello Stephen John Costello (born September 29, 1981 in Philadelphia) is an American operatic tenor and a recipient of the 2009 Richard Tucker Award.''Philadelphia Inquirer'' (April 17, 2009) Costello has performed in noted opera houses around the worl ...

*2010

James Valenti James Valenti (born September 2, 1977) is an American operatic tenor with an active international career specializing in leading roles in the Italian and French repertoire. Born and raised in New Jersey, in the United States, he attended St. Hel ...

*2011

Angela Meade Angela Meade (born 1977) is an American operatic soprano. Life and career Born in Centralia, Washington, Meade started her education at Centralia Community College before going on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice from Pacific Luther ...

*2012

*2013

Isabel Leonard Isabel Leonard (born February 18, 1982) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer based in New York City. She is of Argentine ancestry on her mother's side. Education Leonard was born in New York City. For five years she sang with the Manhattan S ...

*2014

Michael Fabiano Michael Fabiano (born 8 May 1984) is an American operatic tenor. Born in Montclair, New Jersey, he has performed in leading opera houses throughout the world, including the San Francisco Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Sydney Opera, Tea ...

*2015

Jamie Barton Jamie Barton may refer to: * Jamie Barton (singer) (born 1981), American mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contra ...

*2016

Tamara Wilson Tamara Wilson is an American operatic soprano who has had an active international opera career since 2007. She has performed leading roles at the Canadian Opera Company, the English National Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Liceu, the Metropol ...

*2017

Nadine Sierra Nadine Sierra (born May 14, 1988) is an American soprano. She is most well known for her interpretation of Gilda in Verdi's ''Rigoletto,'' and Lucia in Donizetti's ''Lucia di Lammermoor.'' Currently performing in leading roles in the top opera hou ...

*2018

Christian Van Horn Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ (title), Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive ...

*2019

*2020 No Award Given *2021 No Award Given *2022

Angel Blue Angel Joy Blue (born May 3, 1984), is an American opera soprano and classical crossover (music), crossover artist. She won the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for the Metropolitan Opera production of Porgy and Bess in the 63rd Annual Gramm ...

References

External links

* {{Classical music awards Classical music awards Awards established in 1975 Arts foundations based in the United States Music organizations based in the United States Opera competitions 1975 establishments in New York (state)