The Richard Tucker Award
The Richard Tucker Award is selected by conferral, rather than audition. This prestigious award carries not only the name of Richard Tucker and a cash prize of $50,000, but also a stellar list of past recipients. The operative guideline for the Richard Tucker Award is that it be awarded to an American singer poised on the edge of a major national and international career, and it is hoped that the award acts as a well-timed catalyst to elevate the artist’s career to even greater heights.
2022 Richard Tucker Award Winner
A California native, soprano Angel Blue began her career as a member of the Young Artists Program at the LA Opera, at which she made her US operatic debut as Musetta in La bohème before going on to have a successful international career, singing at major opera houses all over the world. Blue starred as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta in the Metropolitan Opera’s historic 2021-22 season opener of Fire Shut Up In My Bones, the first production at the Met Opera by a Black composer, Terence Blanchard. Her recent and upcoming engagements include performances at the Met, Covent Garden, Paris Opera, and with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In addition to receiving this year’s distinguished Richard Tucker Award, Blue was the 2020 recipient of the Met’s prestigious Beverly Sills Artist Award.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this immense recognition. So many of my professional role models have been recognized as Richard Tucker Award winners, and to join this incredible roster of artists is a true honor. I want to thank the Richard Tucker Foundation, and to congratulate the Career and Study Grant recipients.”
Photo by Dario Acosta
Richard Tucker Award Winners 1978-2022
2022 Angel Blue
2021 No Award Given
2020 No Award Given
2019 Lisette Oropesa
2018 Christian Van Horn
2017 Nadine Sierra
2016 Tamara Wilson
2015 Jamie Barton
2014 Michael Fabiano
2013 Isabel Leonard
2012 Ailyn Pérez
2011 Angela Meade
2010 James Valenti
2009 Stephen Costello
2008 No Award Given
2007 Brandon Jovanovich
2006 Lawrence Brownlee
2005 Eric Cutler
2004 Matthew Polenzani
2003 John Relyea
2002 Joyce DiDonato
2001 Christine Goerke
2000 Gregory Turay
1999 Stephanie Blythe
1998 Patricia Racette
1997 David Daniels
1996 Dwayne Croft
1995 Paul Groves
1994 Jennifer Larmore
1993 Ruth Ann Swenson
1992 Deborah Voigt
1991 No Award Given
1990 Renée Fleming
1989 Margaret Jane Wray
1988 Richard Leech
1987 Harry Dworchak
1986 Dolora Zajick
1985 Aprile Millo
1984 Roger Roloff
1983 Susan Dunn
1982 No Award Given
1981 J. Patrick Raftery
1980 Barry McCauley
1979 Diana Soviero
1978 Rockwell Blake