Graduate student wins chance to perform at the Met

Singers around the world dream of taking the stage at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. On Sunday, Feb. 15, one University of Wisconsin–Madison graduate student will do just that.

James Kryshak, a tenor studying with UW–Madison voice area chair Julia Faulkner, won the Upper Midwest Metropolitan Opera National Council Region Auditions in Minneapolis on Jan. 17. He and soprano Kate Crist of the North Dakota District will advance to February’s semifinal round in New York, with a chance to move on to the Grand Finals Concert and win up to $15,000.

“It is, without a doubt, the most important vocal audition in the world,” says Faulkner, herself a National Council Auditions Grand Finals winner.

Kryshak and three other Wisconsin District winners advanced to the regional competition, one of 15 across the country. If he advances past the semifinal round, he will perform with approximately nine other singers in the Grand Finals Concert on Sunday, Feb. 22, which will be broadcasted nationwide on the Metropolitan Opera Radio Network. As a semifinalist, Kryshak has already earned a trip to New York and a prize of at least $1,500; if he advances, he may receive a National Finalist prize of $5,000 or a Grand Winner award of $15,000.

A native of Baldwinsville, N.Y., Kryshak chose UW–Madison after studying with Faulkner during an Austrian summer program.

“I first heard about Jim about three or four years ago,” says Faulkner. “Here was a guy with incredible raw talent, and he’s worked so hard. I feel very lucky that we’ve connected, and I feel very invested in where he’s come from and where he’s going.”

The win is one more accomplishment for University Opera and its graduates. Tenor Steven Ebel (BM ’01) recently accepted a place in the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at London’s Royal Opera House; soprano Jamie-Rose Guarrine (DMA ’05) has enjoyed solo engagements with companies such as the Minnesota Opera and Santa Fe Opera, as well as a place in San Francisco Opera’s Merola program; and soprano Brenda Rae Klinkert (BM ’04) is a member of the Juilliard Opera Center and has a contract with Frankfurt Opera.

With University Opera, Kryshak has taken lead roles in productions such as Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” and Verdi’s “Don Pasquale.” He was scheduled to portray the Bartender in a newly commissioned work by Minnesota composer Maura Bosch titled “Art & Desire” in February; however, he had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts with the Met. In addition, he has been a featured tenor soloist in oratorios with ensembles at UW–Madison and across Europe.

Kryshak, who will receive a master’s degree in opera performance in May, has already started to rethink his post-graduation plans.

“I’d planned on staying in Madison for at least another year, building contacts and then doing an audition tour through central Europe, but now? It’s wide open.”