Opera Columbus announced the five finalists for its Cooper-Bing Competition, now in its 41st year. The vocal competition drew 284 applicants from across the globe. Finalists will compete for a $10,000 grand prize on May 18 at 3:00 p.m. at the Southern Theatre in Columbus.

The finalists are Caroline Bergan (soprano), Edward Graves (tenor), Yeonjae (Chloé) Kim (mezzo-soprano), Cecelia McKinley (contralto), and Page Michels (soprano). An inaugural Cooper-Bing Spirit Award will be presented to Dr. Chad Payton for his work with young opera artists.

Adjudicators include Antoine T. Clark, Richard Gammon, and Chandler Johnson, with Christopher Purdy as master of ceremonies.

Source: Opera Columbus