Our Guild Vocal Hall of Fame
2019 Tri-State College Vocal Competition Winners
For over forty years the Opera Guild of Dayton has hosted annual Vocal Competitions. Not surprisingly, many of the past winners have gone on to make significant contributions to the Opera world. The Opera Guild of Dayton’s Vocal Hall of Fame is proud to present and celebrate many of our previous winners’ achievements.
Patrick Crippen and Maya Vansuch Wurth
Maya Vansuch Wurth
Indiana University
Won High School Competition in 2014
Maya Vansuch Wurth mesmerized the audience in the Wintergarden of Schuster Center in August of 2019 at Art in the City with her lilting soprano voice. Maya has returned to the Dayton area after completing her studies at Indiana University. Among other things, Maya now has her own vocal students.
Olivia with Artists-in-Residence 2018
Olivia Yokers
Indiana University
Won Tri-State College Vocal Competition 2013
Olivia Yokers returned to Dayton in 2018 as a Dayton Opera Artist-in-Residence. While she was here, she entertained the Guild at its Annual Membership Luncheon. She also performed as Mabel in the production of The Pirates of Penzance last season.
Joshua Blue
Joshua Blue
Oberlin Conservatory
Winner of the Tri-State College Vocal Competition 2015
Tenor Joshua Blue is currently a Domingo-Cafritz Young Singer with the Washingon National Opera. He has sung at Carnegie Hall where he is planning a return engagement and spent the summer with Wolf Trap Opera. He has sung a varied repertoire of arias in his rapidly developing career.
Cleveland Opera Theater preparing for The Threepenny Opera
with Scott Skiba as Stage Director
Scott Skiba
Oberlin Conservatory
Winner of Tri-State College Vocal Competition 2003
Scott Skiba has followed a diverse career path. He has been a singing actor using his powerful baritone voice. His career has moved into education at such institutions as Baldwin Wallace College where he is Director of Operatic Studies, previously as Executive Director of Oberlin in Italy and many more. He is an active Stage Director and currently preparing a production of La Bohème for the Cleveland Opera Theater for September 2019.
Elizabeth DeShong
Elizabeth DeShong
2nd Place in the Tri-State College Vocal Competition 2001 and 2002
Elizabeth DeShong has been called a vocal giant in opera circles because of her vibrant contralto vocals and coloratura. She has sung many times at the MET and appeared in the role of Suzuki in the 2019-2020 season production of Madame Butterfly. The March 2020 issue of Opera News stated, “The consummate artist here is Elizabeth DeShong, as Suzuki, who’s sumptuous-voiced and in every way super.” She has appeared all over the USA and the world in such venues as Lyric Opera of Chicago, North Carolina Opera, Bayerische Staatoper and more.
Ellie Dehn
Ellie Dehn
Oberlin Conservatory
Winner of the Tri-State College Vocal Competition 2002
Soprano Elizabeth (Ellie) Dehn has performed in the great opera houses of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Bayerische Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala, San Francisco Opera and many more. She has emerged as a specialist in the operas by Mozart. She will be performing the role of Mimi in La Bohème with Arizona Opera in 2020.
Todd Boyce in La Bohème
Todd Boyce
Oberlin Conserrvatory
Tied as winner of Tri-State College Vocal Competition 2004
Winner of Fran Michael Audience Favorite Award 2004
Todd has traveled the world thrilling audiences with his robust baritone voice in a variety of roles. He has appeared at Konzert Theater Bern, Bayerische Staatsoper, the Glyndebourne Festival, Luzerner Theater, Cleveland Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis and many more. He has a full schedule ahead into 2020 including roles in The Barber of Seville and Madame Butterfly.
Eric Jurenas
Eric Jurenas
University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music
Winner of 2011 Tri-State College Vocal Competition
Countertenor Eric Jurenas has enjoyed a busy career since winning the Opera Guild’s Competition in 2011. He studied for his masters degree at The Julliard School in New York City after his studies in Cincinnati. He has toured to stages across the United States. He will be appearing in several overseas venues in the coming year.