If there’s such a thing as an American Idol-style competition with class and taste, this would be it. Enter Houston Grand Opera’s 37th Annual Concert of Arias, held on January 17 at the Wortham Theater Center.

Seven stellar young divas and divos took center stage, offering a thrilling soirée of vocal virtuosity and dramatic prowess, marking the grand finale of the Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers.

Under the baton of James Gaffigan, general music director of Komische Oper Berlin and music director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, the HGO Orchestra set the tone with lush overtures, giving each finalist a chance to impress with two arias.

Geonho Lee, a commanding baritone, stole the show, capturing the First Place prize of $25,000 and the Audience Choice Award. Tenor Luka Tsevelidze and soprano Lauren Carroll rounded out the top three, while soprano Daria Lupu claimed the Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award, adding a heartwarming coda to the night’s triumphs. For the first time, the finalists performed alongside the full HGO Orchestra.

Judged by operatic heavyweights including Michael Heaston, HGO’s Khori Dastoor, and Patrick Summers, the competition offered a front-row seat into the artform’s melodious future.

The night concluded with a lavish post-performance fête in the Grand Foyer, where 456 opera fiends wined, dined, and toasted the next generation of Verdi and Puccini darlings. Thanks to chairs Reinnette and Stan Marek and a chorus of donors, the event raised more than $775,000 for HGO’s Butler Studio and its mission to nurture world-class talent — bravi tutti.

Seen were Dina Alsowayel and Tony Chase, Estela Cockrell, Geraldina and Scott Wise, Ellen and Bob Vladem, Sarah and Ernest Butler, Claire Liu and Joe Greenberg, Kim and Ryan Dolibois, Barbara and Blair Labatt, Molly and Jim Crownover, Stephanie Larsen, Kathy Moore and Steve Homer, Stephen Klineberg, Janet and John Carrig, Anne and Albert Chao, Susie and Joe Dilg, Teresa and José Ivo, Marty Dudley, Marcia and Alfredo Vilas, Kristin Muessig, Summer Shepherd, Samik Mukherjee, Amy and Kenny Kurtzman, Rebecca Rabinow and Matthew Ringel, Matthew and Kristen Loden, Jill and Allyn Risley, Lynn Gissel, Yuichi and Uny Watanabe, and Mindy and Joshua Davidson.

  

Photo by Michelle Watson

Concert of Arias Finalists.