butler opera international competition

The Butler Opera International Voice Competition unites three Austin musical forces to identify, support, and reward the world’s finest emerging vocal talent: The Sarah and Ernest Butler Opera Center at the University of Texas, the Central Texas Philharmonic and Austin Opera unite to award over $30,000 in prize money. Find out more about the competition here.

What a night for opera! On Friday, May 27, 2022, ten elite young artists competed and one came out the first place Classical Artists Development Foundation Award winner – join us in celebrating Magdalena Kuźma who walks away with $10,000!

The $6,000 second place Martha Peak Rochelle Award was given to Anthony Ciaramitaro, $4,000 third place Marilyn T. Gaddis, Ph.D & George C. Carruthers Award to Teresa Perrotta, and $2,500 for superlative vocal artistry in honor of soprano Kerry French McKechnie to Kyle van Schoonhoven, who also won the Sissi O’Reilly Audience Favorite Award. The Carol Walsh-Knutson and Kelley Knutson Encouragement Award was given to Jongwong Han.

Thank you to all of the competition award underwriters: Mike & Patty Erspamer, Lois & George Schaefer, Donald R. Wertz, Eva Womack, and Kandace & Dennis Eakin. We are also grateful to Sarah and Ernest Butler, Tina & Michael Barrett, and Katharine & Gregory Shields for their support of this program. To see the names of all competitors and their aria selections, click here.

Congratulations to all the winners!