You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Judges<br />
CRAIG KIER<br />
Annapolis Opera, Artistic and Music Director<br />
In the 2019-2020 season, Craig Kier made his Annapolis<br />
Opera debut, and was named the company’s Artistic and<br />
Music Director in January 2020. Maestro Kier continued his<br />
work as Director of the Maryland Opera Studio, a position he<br />
has held since 2014. Last season’s engagements included his<br />
San Francisco Merola Opera Center debut, Indianapolis<br />
debut, a return to Opera Birmingham and Houston Ballet, and leading the yearlong<br />
Kurt Weill Festival at the University of Maryland as Artistic Director,<br />
conducting performances of The Road of Promise, Mahagonny Songspiel, and<br />
Street Scene.<br />
Recent season highlights include The Rape of Lucretia with Wolf Trap Opera, La<br />
cenerentola with Brevard Opera Center, Don Pasquale with Anchorage Opera,<br />
Madama Butterfly with Arizona Opera, Falstaff with Opera Saratoga, La traviata<br />
with Opera Birmingham, and since 2011, a relationship with Houston Ballet<br />
leading their Nutcracker production. From 2010-2013, Kier was Associate<br />
Conductor under Patrick Summers at Houston Grand Opera, where he led<br />
performances of Madama Butterfly, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Die Fledermaus, Trial by<br />
Jury and the world premiere of Huang Ruo’s Bound.<br />
WILL LIVERMAN<br />
Baritone<br />
Called “a voice for this historic moment” by The Washington<br />
Post, baritone Will Liverman continues to bring his<br />
compelling performances to audiences nationwide. The 2020<br />
winner of the Marian Anderson <strong>Vocal</strong> Award, Will brings a<br />
breadth of genres to the stage with equal authority and<br />
beauty.<br />
He will star in the Metropolitan Opera’s re-opening production of Terence<br />
Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones in fall <strong>2021</strong>, in addition to reprising his<br />
roles in Akhnaten (Horemhab) and The Magic Flute (Papageno) during the Met’s<br />
21-22 season. In the 2020-<strong>2021</strong> season, Liverman has appeared in a solo<br />
recital at The Kennedy Center and in Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ production of<br />
Highway 1 U.S.A as Bob. He will also curate OTSL’s Juneteenth Concert together<br />
with soprano Nicole Cabell. Will’s new opera, The Factotum, written together<br />
with DJ/recording artist K. Rico, was also developed in partnership with Lyric<br />
Opera of Chicago and the Ryan Opera Center this season.
Change language