Northwest Region

The Norwest Region takes place in the same venue in Seattle as the Washington District: Benaroya Hall, in beautiful downtown Seattle. The venue has a parking structure accessed via 3rd Avenue for a parking fee. And, 3rd Avenue is also where you will find the artists' entrance - this is where you need to go. Your guests should use the main venue entrances on 4th Avenue. (There is a steep grade between 3rd and 4th Avenues, FYI.)

Legal street parking is free-of-charge on Sundays in Seattle. You or members of your entourage might score a free spot - just make sure it's a legal spot. Also, Benaroya Hall is literally built atop a light rail station - Symphony Station. Special (and expensive) architectural design was required for this building to ensure noise and vibration from the train doesn't enter the performance halls. Search it up if you're curious. The point being that you can take light rail from Seatac Airport Station to Symphony Station for a $3.00 fare.

The Met’s Laffont Competition—previously known as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—is designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers and is sponsored by hundreds of donors and volunteers from across North and South America. Some of today’s greatest singers got their starts in the competition, including Jamie Barton, Stephanie Blythe, Lawrence Brownlee, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Emily D’Angelo, Michael Fabiano, Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Ryan Speedo Green, Lisette Oropesa, Eric Owens, and Nadine Sierra.