Nebraska District

The Nebraska District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition 2025-2026 took place on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln.

O'Donnell Auditorium, Rogers Fine Arts Building

NE corner of Huntington Avenue & North 50th Street

Lincoln, NE 68504

Judges

• Beth Clayton, Performance Coach, Mezzo Soprano, Santa Fe, NM
• Jason Ferrante, Voice Faculty, Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta & Brevard Music Centre, Brevard, NC
• Mark Gibson, Director of Orchestral Studies, University of Cincinnati & Head, Conducting Institute, Miami Music Festival



Accompanist: the incomparable Hal France!

Nebraska District winners, who will proceed to the Upper Midwest Regional competition.

• Kristine Overman
• Joley Seitz
• Jessica Gu

Two District encouragement awards:

• Ruoxuan Nola Tan ("Ky Rohman" award)
• Zhihui Pang ("Hewitts" award)

In addition, the judges selected recipients of two awards given by local opera support groups:

• Lauren Paul (Friends of Opera Lincoln)
• Zhihui Pang (Opera Omaha Guild)

For more info on the Nebraska District, please visit our website: http://www.nebraskametauditions.org/

Laura Franz and Adrienne Dickson, Co-Chairs