Jenny Lind Competition for Sopranos

Event Info

Date 04.21.12
Time 12:45 pm

Admission

Online Tickets NOT AVAILABLE

Venue Info

Bernhard Center, University of Bridgeport
84 Iranistan Avenue
Bridgeport, CT

Map

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Jenny Lind Competition for Sopranos

The Barnum Festival announces the 64th Annual American Jenny Lind Competition featuring sopranos vying for the title to be

America's 2012 Swedish Nightingale

 

On Saturday, April 21 starting at 12:45 p.m. on the University of Bridgeport (UB) campus, the Barnum Festival will hold the 64th Annual Jenny Lind operatic competition. Sopranos from around the nation have been invited to compete to win the distinction of being named the '2012 American Jenny Lind.' The winner will be awarded a $2,000 cash prize and perform in concert on June 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Bijou Theatre with the winner from the Swedish annual choral competition. This annual event is sponsored by the Barnum Festival with support from the Norden Club.

The Swedish competition winners have just been announced, so you are invited to listen live and make your own selection from talented sopranos in the American competition. The Swedish Jenny Lind Scholar 2012 winner has just been announced as Josefine Andersson, a mezzo soprano from Stockholm, who moved for a time to Denmark where she studied at the Opera Academy in Copenhagen. The Piano Scholar 2012 has been awarded to Nigar Dadascheva, born in Baku Azerbajdzjan, but moved to Sweden with her family where she studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm.

In 1850, P.T. Barnum presented the acclaimed 'Swedish Nightingale' Jenny Lind to American audiences. The yearlong tour began with more than 40,000 people gathering at the docks in New York to greet Jenny Lind, no doubt lured by Barnum's marketing and promotional genius. Jenny Lind created a sensation in America during her tour and captured the heart and spirit of the nation. To this day, the amazing American tour is still considered the first 'blockbuster' musical engagement, earning more than $712,000 in only nine months' over 160 years ago.

In 1949, a competition was started to find vocal artists in both Sweden and America who were most representative of the voice of Jenny Lind. The competition has continued each year since.

What: Jenny Lind Competition – the only classical music event of The Barnum Festival

Where: Arnold Bernhard Center, UB Campus, 84 Iranistan Avenue, Bridgeport CT

When: Saturday, April 21, 2012

12:45 p.m. Welcome and Introductions

1 p.m. Competition begins with short break at 2 p.m.

3:10 p.m. Judges deliberate

3:30 p.m. Finalists perform if requested

4 p.m. Announcement of Winners. 2012 Barnum Festival Ringmaster, Frank J. Carroll will present the awards.

Cost & Who: No charge. Anyone interested in music or in supporting The Barnum Festival.

 

The Jenny Lind events are being co-chaired by Dorothy Straub, Robert Genualdi and Kathleen Maher, Executive Director/Curator of The Barnum Museum.

 

For more information contact The Barnum Festival at 203-367-8495.

 

Download program: Jenny Lind Competition Schedule 2012

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