Singers are winners

Sopranos Siobhan Stagg and Charlotte Bretts-Dean have taken out the first and second prizes in the 2012 Mietta Song Competition.

Established by the late Melbourne restaurateur and arts patron Mietta O'Donnell, the Mietta Song Competition is dedicated to excellence in ‘Art Song’, the partnership of voice and piano.

This year's eight semi-finalists included four sopranos, three mezzo-sopranos and a tenor, contested closely over 21-22 July at Iwaki Auditorium in Southbank.

First prize of $5,000 was awarded to soprano Siobhan Stagg, currently studying towards her Master of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium.

The Hugh DT Williamson Prize of $5,000 was awarded to Victorian pianist Amir Farid (BMus(Hons), 2004) who was Stagg’s accompanist.

Third year Bachelor of Music student mezzo-soprano, Charlotte Betts-Dean, was awarded $2,000 for second place. Betts-Dean, together with her pianist Conrad Olszewski (BMus, 2010) was also awarded The Arnold and Mary Bram Australian Song Prize and the ABC Classic FM Prize.

Stagg is also the recipient of The O’Donnell Family Prize $4,000 for the study of Italian language and culture and the Tait Memorial Trust Prize. Domenico de Pieri, 2012 MSC Young Ambassador awarded the Murray River International Festival Performance prize to Charlotte Betts-Dean.

www.vcam.unimelb.edu.au