The Jensen Foundation 2006 Competition winner, Gaston Rivero, headlined Opera Carolina's season opener Roméo et Juliette. As part of the competition 1st prize, Opera Carolina conductor Jim Meena has agreed to offer winners a contract role. According to the Charlotte Observer:
"Opera Carolina's version sung with abandon, grandly set" and
"Gaston Rivero sang with more and more fire as the night went on, climaxing in the outpouring after the swordfighting deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt." – Steven Brown, The Charlotte Observer, Friday, Oct. 19, 2007
Listen to an interview of Gaston on WDAV the week of the performances.
