Former Scholarship Recipient wins Opera Birmingham’s 33rd Annual Vocal Competition

Soprano Melissa Shippen Burrows of Nashville, Tenn. was awarded first prize in the 33rd Annual OperaBirmingham Vocal Competition on Sunday evening, May 23, 2011. Melissa finished first among 74 contestants with performances of “Si, mi chiamano Mimi” from Puccini’s La bohème and “I want magic” from Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire. She received the Martha Dick McClung Award of $3,500 and will be presented in OperaBirmingham’s “Catch a Rising Star Recital” which will open the 2011-2012 performance season on November 6, 2011. She is a 1997 Donna Reed Foundation National Scholar (Vocal).