Marian Anderson Award Recital: Leah Hawkins by Various, ned. 12 feb. 2023, Od (2023/2023), Terrace Theater, Long Beach, United States

This year’s winner, soprano Leah Hawkins , is praised for her “gleaming sound” ( The Washington Post ). The 2018 graduate from WNO’s Cafritz Young Artist program has quickly gained a reputation for his compelling performances, with significant debuts on stages such as the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Portland Opera, Tulsa Opera, and more. Named for the groundbreaking African American contralto, the Marian Anderson Vocal Award recognizes a young American singer in opera, oratorio, or recital repertory. Given annually by the Kennedy Center, the award offers a cash prize, a residency at Washington’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and a recital presented by WNO. Prior recipients include Frederick Ballentine, Will Liverman, Soloman Howard, Ryan Speedo Green, Denyce Graves, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, J’Nai Bridges, Janai Brugger, John Holiday, and many others.