At a time when opera faces headwinds nationally – from Jonas Kaufmann’s candid remarks about the pay disparity between ​Covent Garden and the Met to Renée Fleming’s recent resignation ​from the Kennedy Center ​for the Performing Arts as an artistic advisor – the Pasadena Vocal Competition (PVC) stands as a beacon of commitment to the future of the art form.

Now in its ​sixth year, the PVC remains true to its mission: to financially support the next generation of opera stars and cultivate community interest in opera throughout the Pasadena area. The competition is made possible by its generous sponsors including the Pasadena Area Opera Trust, Gino Gaudio of the Tony Gaudio Foundation, which sponsors the Audience Favorite Award, and Courtney B. Vance, whose name graces the prestigious Courtney B. Vance Chevalier Award honoring the best aria by a composer of the African diaspora. 

This year’s event will be hosted by soprano and artistic advisor Jamie Chamberlin, serving as emcee alongside artistic director Catherine Miller who will accompany the contestants at the piano. PVC winners have already ​adorned the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, San Francisco Opera and Santa Fe Opera as well as internationally. Come be part of the next chapter​!

The next PVC competition is on Saturday, April 11 at 7 p.m. at the Ramo Auditorium on the campus of Caltech, which is located at the south end of Baxter Hall. 332 S. Michigan Ave. in Pasadena. Please park in Lot 10, 11 or 12 located off of East Del Mar Boulevard.