Tanja Neimann

This weekend the Utah District Met Opera Auditions take place in Libby Gardner Concert Hall. On Friday, Jan. 7, some 40 singers from around the country will be in the preliminary round. That number will be reduced to around a dozen for the finals the following day. Accompanied by Utah Opera coach Carol Anderson the young singers will be competing for spots in the regional auditions in Denver and maybe a spot as a finalist in New York.

Leading the judging panel will be world renowned bass-baritone Samuel Ramey, a Met Opera national winner in 1972 who went on to a remarkable career that has taken him to all of the world’s major opera houses. Also on the jury are William Powers, director of artistic administration for Pittsburgh Opera, and Brad Trexell, director of artistic planning for Opera Colorado.

The singers can get invaluable coaching and advice from the judges and being in the auditions can be a springboard for their careers.

Both rounds are free and open to the public. Friday’s auditions start at 11 a.m. and are scheduled to run until 5 p.m. Saturday’s final round begins at 3 p.m.