Over 1,700 aspiring young opera singers from the around the world participated in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2026 Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. From that pool, ten talented artists made it all the way to the finals and a spot in the Grand Finals Concert, which was held last March in front of a packed house at the Met, with Maestro Carlo Rizzi leading the Met Orchestra. The event was hosted by soprano Lisette Oropesa, herself a past competition winner, and featured a guest performance from soprano Tamara Wilson.
The Met’s Laffont Competition (formerly known as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions) is intended as a discovery platform for promising young opera singers, and a vehicle to showcase their talents on an international level; they also receive valued assistance as they develop singing careers. Several renowned singers received their start from this competition, including Jamie Barton, Stephanie Blythe, Lawrence Brownlee, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Michael Fabiano, Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Ryan Speedo Green, Eric Owens and Nadine Sierra. The Competition is sponsored by numerous donors and volunteers from across North and South America.
WETA Classical is pleased to present a recorded performance of this Grand Finals Concert on its all-vocal channel, WETA VivaLaVoce, on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at Noon (ET). Tune in and catch the rising stars of tomorrow!
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