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Bass John Relyea has been named the recipient of the fourth annual Beverly Sills Artist Award for young singers at the Metropolitan Opera. The $50,000 award, the largest of its kind in the United States, is designated for extraordinarily gifted singers between the ages of 25 and 40 who have already appeared in featured solo roles with the Met. The award, in honor of Beverly Sills, was established in 2006 by an endowment gift from Agnes Varis, a managing director on the Met board, and her husband, Karl Leichtman. Relyea was presented with the award in his dressing room prior to this evening's performance of Rossini's La Cenerentola, in which he sings Alidoro, the role of his Met debut in 2000. La Cenerentola will be presented again on May 9 at 12:30 p.m., when it will be the final transmission in this season's The Met: Live in HD series.
The Sills Award was created to help further recipients' careers, including funding for voice lessons, vocal coaching, language lessons, related travel costs, and other professional assistance. Sills, who died on July 2, 2007, was well known as a supporter and friend to developing young artists, and this award continues her legacy as an advocate for rising singers. Mr. Relyea is the fourth recipient of the award, following baritone Nathan Gunn in 2006, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato in 2007, and tenor Matthew Polenzani in 2008.
In accepting the award, Relyea said, "I am profoundly honored to be receiving this award. While I was never able to get to know Ms. Sills well, we did meet on a couple of occasions, and she sent me a couple of very supportive and complimentary notes before performances. It flattered and delighted me to know she was watching me, and taking the time to make such warm gestures. I would also like to give my deepest thanks to Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman, and the Metropolitan Opera for choosing me as this year's recipient. I am greatly humbled to be recognized in the presence of the legacy which Ms. Sills created for the world of opera, and the paragon of her artistry which so many of us continue to strive for throughout our singing careers."
Dr. Varis added, "Karl and I are thrilled that John Relyea is the fourth annual recipient of the Beverly Sills Award. For several seasons, we have enjoyed his rich, sonorous bass voice and handsome stage presence in Met performances, and we are very happy to recognize such outstanding talent. We are pleased to support this award, which both honors the legacy of our dear friend Beverly Sills and helps the careers of a new generation of opera singers."
At John Relyea's 2000 Met debut as Alidoro, the New York Times reported, "A tall, dashing, young bass-baritone from Ontario brought his hearty voice and easy authority to the role. This is the kind of Met debut fledgling singers dream about." Relyea, now an American citizen, lives in Rhode Island. In nine years, he has sung 12 roles at the Met, from the satanic-Méphistophélès this season in Robert Lepage's new production of La Damnation de Faust-to the comic title character in Le Nozze di Figaro, which he reprises next season. Relyea has appeared four times in The Met: Live in HD series, which is seen in movie theaters worldwide, including this season in La Damnation de Faust conducted by James Levine, last season as Banquo in Adrian Noble's new production of Macbeth (also conducted by Levine), and in the 2006-07 season as Don Basilio in Bartlett Sher's production of IL Barbiere di Siviglia and as Giorgio in I Puritani. In addition, he sang Garibaldo in the Met's 2004 premiere of Handel's Rodelinda, directed by Stephen Wadsworth. Among his other roles are Masetto in Don Giovanni and Colline in La Bohème. Relyea has also appeared with the MET Orchestra in Carnegie Hall and the MET Chamber Ensemble in Weill RecitAl Hall.
