Philadelphia District

For generations, Philadelphia has proudly played a role in the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition, formerly known as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Founded in 1954, the competition has become one of opera’s most important pathways for discovering and nurturing exceptional young singers. Over its remarkable history, countless participants and winners have gone on to grace not only the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, but the great opera houses and concert stages of the world. Philadelphia continues this distinguished tradition, providing emerging artists with an invaluable opportunity to be heard, recognized, and encouraged as they take the next steps in their professional careers.

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.