Tenor from Centenary Captures $1,600 in Prizes, 2nd Place at Regional Met Opera Auditions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/22/96
Contact: Lynn Stewart, Centenary News Service
318/869-5120 or 869-5709
Email: lstewart@centenary.edu

SHREVEPORT, LA -- Tenor Gregory Wilkins, a student at Centenary College, was named a winner in the Gulf Coast Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions on Sunday (Jan. 28, 1996) in New Orleans.

He won second place and was awarded $1,600 in prizes, including the Paul S. PlauchÇ Memorial Award and the Amici Award given by Lexus of New Orleans.

Judges for the auditions were Jonathan Friend, artistic administrator of the Metropolitan Opera, soprano Lorna Haywood, and William Fred Scott, artistic director of the Atlanta Opera.

Wilkins, a native of Longview, Texas, sang "Lenski's Aria" from Eugene Onegin by Tschaikowsky and "Una Furtiva lagrima" from L'Elisir d'Amore by Donizetti.

He is a student of Dr. Gale Odom.

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