After an impressive showing at the National Opera Association’s Opera Production Competition, Samford Opera has added more top finishes to its record. In January, a group of student performers, led by professor Kristin Kenning, Samford Opera director, competed in the NOA Robert Hansen Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition, where they placed as a finalist in undergraduate opera and earned second place in musical theatre.
“We are all called to use our talents to the very best of our ability, and when I watch my students fulfill this call themselves, I am grateful to be their teacher,” Kenning said.
Seven students traveled to Savannah, Georgia, to represent Samford University at the competition. During the spring 2024 semester, the students submitted video recordings of their performances to judges who, after surveying schools nationwide, chose Samford Opera as one of the four school finalists in the two categories. The students learned they were selected to compete in November 2024, so they quickly began preparing for the competition with the end of the semester right around the corner.
The musical theatre scene chosen was from The Light in the Piazza, a production that Samford Opera put on at the Harrison Theatre in November. The undergraduate opera scene, one from Trouble in Tahiti, had to be relearned and practiced with new cast members. The students practiced through finals week and returned to Birmingham right after the new year to continue rehearsing until they left for Savannah on January 5. Kenning applauds everyone involved for their dedication, from the students to Mary Gurney and Mallory Hubbard, who built and designed the costumes.
While attending the conference, Samford Opera was recognized for finishing first in NOA’s Opera Production Competition with their production of Dragon’s Breath. This competition awards academic institutions for highly creative and quality productions. Samford Opera was awarded first place in November 2024, and it was announced publicly during their time in Savannah.
The students who competed were Macy Rose, Val Machuca, Noah Myers, Sam Philips, Emerie Ediger, Bradley Seals, and Benjamin Harding. Kenning also thanked Sebastian Black ’24, a recent alumnus who played piano at the competition, for his help with the scenes. The students involved have a range of majors, including vocal performance, musical theatre, music and worship and commercial music. Kenning said the diversity of the students’ areas of study was key to their success and highlights the unique strength of the training students receive at Samford’s School of the Arts.
“I am humbled every time I watch my students succeed, and it was a joy to watch them perform at the competition and make new friends with students from all over the country,” Kenning said.
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