Alum awarded $15,000

IU alumnus Twyla Robinson, a soprano, has been named among the winners of the Metropolitan Opera Competition.\nThe competition, which began in October 2001, involved several thousand students from Canada, the United States and Australia. District, regional, semifinal and final competition narrowed the field to 10 competitors for the award. Five people were awarded this year.\nRobinson, who recently completed the Adler Fellowship with the San Francisco Opera, will receive a $15,000 award. She is the third winner of the prestigious award from IU. Last year, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and soprano Kristine Winkler took home prizes.\nMaria Talbert, director of marketing and publicity for the School of Music, said the award is a tribute to the musical programs at IU.\n"Twyla winning the award is a testament to (the) high quality of voice education offered here," she said. "It's also a tribute to the high quality of students."\nTalbert said she is pleased with the track record of the IU music programs.\nRobinson will be singing the role of Donna Anna in "Don Giovanni" in the Pine Mountain Festival this summer. She said she plans on finishing her masters degree at IU this summer or fall.\nRobinson is a student of School of Music professor Costanza Cuccaro. Cuccaro also coached IU\'s other winners of this honor.\n"The final competition opens doors for young singers," she said. "Winkler just made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on April 5. The Met is wonderful, giving great aid to young performers."\nCuccaro said Robinson\'s performance was greeted with a standing ovation, the only competitor to receive this treatment.\nRobinson will appear on Breakfast with the Arts on A&E at 7 a.m. Sunday, April 27. Her winning performance, as well as the rest of the Metropolitan Opera competition, will be broadcast at 7 p.m. May 5 on Bloomington's WFIU radio, 103.7 FM.