The '''American Opera Auditions''' was a non-profit organization located in Cincinnati, Ohio, that organized an annual singing contest in both the United States and Italy from 1956 to 1990. The organization was founded by Cincinnati businessman and philanthropist John L. Magro.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/25/us/john-l-magro-90-patron-of-arts-and-italy.html|title=John L. Magro, 90, Patron of Arts|date= April 25, 1998|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Wolfgang Saxon}}</ref>

Winners of the American Opera Auditions from the United States were afforded the opportunity to study singing in Italy and make their professional European opera debuts at notable Italian opera houses. The Italian winners were afforded the opportunity to study singing in the United States and make their US debut with the Cincinnati Opera during its summer season. Notable winners of the competition include Sharon Azrieli, Gene Boucher,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/03/12/archives/opera-auditions-lists-8-winners-young-american-singers-are-chosen.html|title=Opera Auditions Lists Eight Winners|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 12, 1958}}</ref> Dominic Cossa,<ref>''The New York Times'', "4 American Opera Singers Have Debut in Milan" (September 21, 1962)</ref> James King, John Modinos, Elizabeth Fischer Monastero,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1962/05/12/80392162.pdf|title=Four Opera Winners Will Study In Italy|date=May 12, 1962|page=15|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> Karen Holvik, Sherrill Milnes,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JR4DAAAAMBAJ&q=%22American+Opera+Auditions%22&pg=PA65|title=American Opera Projects|magazine=Cincinnati|date=June 1983|page=A17}}</ref> Seymour Schwartzman,<ref>Central Opera Service Bulletin. [http://www.cpanda.org/pdfs/csob/csob/0805.pdf "Winners of Vocal Competitions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314204421/http://www.cpanda.org/pdfs/csob/csob/0805.pdf |date=2012-03-14 }} (May–June 1966)</ref> George Shirley<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=36r8LT1GdIgC&q=%22American+Opera+Auditions%22&pg=PA264 |title=Blackness in Opera |publisher=University of Illinois Press |year=2012 |isbn=9780252093890 |editor=Naomi André |page=264}}</ref> and Carol Toscano.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/10/13/archives/contralto-gets-award-new-york-girl-wins-1000-marian-anderson-prize.html|access-date=November 27, 2023|title=Contralto Gets Award; New York Girl Wins $1,000 Marian Anderson Prize|date=October 13, 1960|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

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Category:Opera competitions Category:Organizations established in 1956 Category:Opera organizations based in the United States