The conference also provided General Director Reed Smith a chance to unveil the winner of TCO’s first-ever Season Graphic Art Competition. Last November TCO notified more than 15 local colleges and universities of its poster design competition. Thirteen entries from three local institutions were received for review by a panel of judges, and designs by Melissa Yu, a junior in graphic design at Binghamton University, were chosen as posters for next season’s operas.
Yu, who studies with Prof. Cindy Blackman, received a check for $1,000. Second-prize winner Angelica F. Cordero, a senior in illustration at Marywood University, received a subscription for two to next season. Third-place winner Christina LaParr, a BU senior also studying graphic design under Blackman, will receive two tickets to an opera of her choice in the 2011-12 season.
Yesterday’s final announcement was the official launch of the opera company’s revised, expanded and more user-friendly website produced by BlueStorm Technologies (www.tricitiesopera.com). Check out Yu’s poster designs at the site as well as lots of information about the upcoming (April 29, May 1) production of The Tales of Hoffmann.