GREENVLLE, S.C. (January 5, 2015) — Bob Jones University’s 2014 production of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Aida won second place in the Professional Division of the National Opera Association’s (NOA) Opera Production Competition. This is the fourth time BJU has entered the NOA competition and its fourth NOA award.
Because of the strength of its productions, BJU has been placed in the professional category, rather than in the collegiate category, and ranked in the top three nationally each time it has entered the competition.
Previous award-winning BJU opera productions are Camille Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila (2010), Charles Gounod’s Faust (2011) and Giuseppe Verdi’s Il Trovatore (2012).
BJU’s production of Aida, conducted by Maestro Stephen White of the Metropolitan Opera, included a cast of more than 200 in addition to more than 150 musicians and stage crew. Guest artists Kevin Thompson (Ramphis), Clay Hilley (Radames), Mary Phillips (Amneris), Indra Thomas (Aida) and Grant Youngblood (Amonasro) joined the BJU cast.
The award will be presented at the 60th Annual Convention in Greensboro, North Carolina later this month. Dr. Darren Lawson, dean of the School of Fine Arts & Communication, who served as director of the production will accept the award for BJU.
“To be recognized on a national level speaks very well about the commitment of BJU’s students and staff crew as well as our level of excellence to the glory of God,” said Lawson.
