Around The Arts

Jordan Bisch, a 23-year-old bass singer from Vancouver, Wash., and IU alum, was one of four grand-prize winners in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Bisch was one of nine finalists selected from more than 1,500 competitors between the ages of 20 and 30. The finalists performed in district-level competitions, regional auditions and the national semifinals in New York City. On March 20, the performers were invited to sing at the Met Opera House in the Grand Finals Concert. The four grand winners were chosen by a panel of judges, and each will receive $15,000. Bisch is the School of Music's 33rd grand winner overall and its fifth grand winner in the last five years. \nFor his winning performance, accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Bisch performed an aria, "O wie will ich triumphieren" from Mozart's "Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail," and a cavatina, "Ves' tabor spit" from Rachmaninoff's "Aleko." The Grand Finals Concert will be broadcast from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday March 27 on WFIU (103.7 FM in Bloomington, 95.1 FM in Terre Haute, 100.7 FM in Columbus, 106.1 FM in Kokomo).