Cover image: Award-winning African-American composer Cynthia Cozette-Lee
Image courtesy of Cynthia Cozette-Lee

I discovered Africa Lyric's Opera last year and was pleased to post an article about the organization's first lyrical music competition in April 2022.

To qualify to participate in the second edition of the competition, all applicants needed to be African, of African descent, or a citizen of an African nation. The twenty (20) amateur and 20 semi-professional (part time singers) participants who made it to the semi-finals performed before a prestigious jury at the Museum of Immigration History in the Palais de la Porte Dorée in the 12th arrondissement on April 13.  Those selected for the final round of competition performed before the same jury at the Porte Dorée on April 15.

Flier for international singing competition

One of the two songs that the semi-professional finalists were required to sing was "The Wake" for voice and string orchestra (air imposé) by award-winning African-American classical music composer Cynthia Cozette-Lee.

This was the auspicious world premiere for “The Wake,” which was performed by each of the six finalists accompanied by the Orchestre Symphonique du Loiret under the direction of Maestro Mehdi Lougraïda. 

Listen to an excerpt of the song HERE.

Lee learned about Africa Lyric's Opera a year ago through the Internet. After visiting the Website for this global initiative, she submitted "The Wake" for review and was pleased when it was accepted as a work to be performed during this year's competition.

When ETBP asked her to comment on this she said:

"It is a great honor to have my art song selected and performed by such talented singers with the distinguished Orchestre Symphonique du Loiret and superb conductor Mehdi Lougraïda. I am eager to see the video performance of the six opera singer finalists in the final category performing my entire art song 'The Wake.'"

Hazel Ann Lee, an award-winning lyricist and published author and poet, co-wrote the lyrics of the song with her sister, Cozette-Lee. The lyrics are based on an original poem called “The Wake” that Hazel Lee wrote after attending a funeral wake of a scientist colleague. Hazel Lee is the author of a book of science poems and science fiction stories entitled “The Astronaut’s Window: Collection of Poems and Short Stories Celebrating Nature.”

The winners of the 2nd Concours International de Chant des Grandes Voix Lyriques d'Afrique are listed below:

SEMI-PROFESSIONALS

1st prize - "Grand Prix" Africa Lyric’s Opera: Mariamielle Lamagat (soprano, Madagascar – 31 years old – 2000€)

2nd prize - Africa Lyric’s Opera - Fondation Orange: Aaron Casey Gould (tenor, USA – 30 years old – 1000€)

3rd prize - Génération Opéra: Monika Audrey Dongmo Mazanka , (soprano, Cameroon – 34 years old – 1000€)

Special prize Natalia Smalto: Aaron Casey Gould (tenor, USA – 30 years old – 1000€)

Special prize Mady Mesplé: Blaise Rantoanina (tenor, Madagascar – 37 years old – 500€)

Prize for the best interpretation of "The Wake" by composer Cynthia Cozette-Lee: Mariamielle Lamagat (soprano, Madagascar – 31 years old – 300€)

Public prize: Raphaële Green (mezzo-soprano, Congo – 35 years old – no monetary prize) and Blaise Rantoanina (tenor, Madagascar – 37 years old – no monetary prize)

AMATEURS

1st prize: Boris Mvuezolo Panzu (tenor, Congo – 26 years old – 600€)

2nd prize: Adoulou Bitang (baritone, Cameroon – 32 years old – 400€)

Young Hope (Jeune Esprit) prize: Victoria Lingock (mezzo-soprano, Cameroon – 26 years old – 500€ for tuition fees)

Prize for the best interpretation of the African language work by composer Godwin Saoh: Sonia Tchato Waton (soprano, Cameroon – 32 years old – 300€)

Public prize: Sonia Tchato Waton (soprano, Cameroon – 32 years old – no monetary prize)

All winners will appear in the Voix Lyriques d'Afrique concert tour in May that will include the Opéra Orchestre National at Montpellier, the Opéra Rouen de Normandie, and the Opera de Tours before returning to Paris for a final performance at the Palais de la Porte Dorée on May 31, 2023.