Where Awards Still Mean Something

June 24th, 2012

The Wall Street Journal | The annual Tucker award is given by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation to an artist on the threshold of a major career. If you’re unfamiliar with the work of this year’s winner, soprano Ailyn Pérez, don’t sweat it. That’s partly why Graham Parker, the vice president of WQXR, created the concert format well in advance of the November ceremony. “We wanted to secure the New York premiere of her singing since winning the award,” he said. “We wanted the WQXR listener to be able to get to know her.”

Joining Ms. Pérez, who is 32, on the program will be two recent Tucker winners: 34-year-old soprano Angela Meade (2011) and 30-year-old tenor Stephen Costello (2009), whose names are probably already circulating at the aforementioned pool parties.

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