New York, NY (May 6, 2026)—The Metropolitan Opera has named tenor Ben Bliss the
winner of the 2026 Beverly Sills Artist Award. The annual $50,000 award recognizes
extraordinarily gifted singers with rising Met careers. Established in 2006 by an
endowment gift from the late Agnes Varis, a former Met Board member, and her
husband, Karl Leichtman, the award is given in honor of the legendary American soprano
Beverly Sills.
In 2014, while in the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Bliss made his
Met debut as Vogelgesang in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. His other Met
roles have included Arturo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Belmonte in Mozart’s
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, the Steersman in
Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer, Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Tom Rakewell
in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Eric in
Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded. He is scheduled to perform the role of Nikolaus Sprink in the
company premiere of Kevin Puts’s Silent Night next season.
“I’m deeply honored to receive the Beverly Sills Award and be counted among the
esteemed roster of former recipients,” said Bliss. “My connection to the Met began at
home, reading my mother’s Opera News magazines. I remember taking a photo of
Lincoln Center on my first visit to New York City in 2006, before I ever dreamed of
singing at the Met or even pursuing a career in opera. To now call it my artistic home for nearly 15 years is truly extraordinary! It has been an amazing journey, filled with music and with wonderful colleagues and friends. I couldn’t be more blessed, honored, and proud!”
Additional recent performance highlights include the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s
Rigoletto at the Canadian Opera Company, Don Ottavio and Tom Rakewell at the Paris
Opera, Pelléas in Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande and Tamino at the Bavarian State Opera, and Jupiter in Handel’s Semele for his house debuts at both Covent Garden and the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Outside of the opera house, Bliss has performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, and a recital with soprano Louise Alder at Wigmore Hall.
His numerous accolades include the 2016 Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center,
the Mozart and Plácido Domingo Awards at the 2015 Francisco Viñas International
Competition, first prize at the 2014 Gerda Lissner and Licia Albanese-Puccini
Foundation Competitions, and the 2013 Operalia Don Plácido Domingo Sr. Zarzuela
Prize.
The Beverly Sills Artist Award was created to help further the careers of rising stars by
providing additional funding for vocal coaching, language study, travel costs, and other
professional expenses. Sills, who died in 2007, was well known as a supporter and friend
to developing young artists, and this award continues her legacy as an advocate for
important emerging singers.
The award has been presented to an outstanding roster of previous winners: baritone
Nathan Gunn in 2006, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato in 2007, tenor Matthew
Polenzani in 2008, bass-baritone John Relyea in 2009, soprano Susanna Phillips in
2010, mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard in 2011, soprano Angela Meade in 2012, tenor
Bryan Hymel in 2013, tenor Michael Fabiano in 2014, baritone Quinn Kelsey in 2015,
soprano Ailyn Pérez in 2016, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton in 2017, soprano Nadine
Sierra in 2018, soprano Lisette Oropesa in 2019, and soprano Angel Blue in 2020.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating economic impact on singers,
five recipients received the award in 2021: sopranos Erin Morley and Brenda Rae,
countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo
Green.
Subsequent recipients include baritone Will Liverman in 2022, bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green in 2023, soprano Leah Hawkins in 2024, and soprano Rachel Willis-
Sørensen in 2025.
Find more information at www.metopera.org
