The Wagner Society of New York has announced the winners of its coveted singers’ awards. Following auditions held at Merkin Hall on Friday, May 22, 2026 mezzo-soprano Melissa Zgouridi was awarded the Robert Lauch Memorial Fund Award ($7,000) and tenor John Kun Park was awarded the Ursula Springer Award ($4,000).
Encouragement grants of $1500 were extended to tenor Joseph Sacchi and bass-baritone Byung Gil Kim. Grants of $500 were made to soprano Emma Berggren, soprano Hannah Crawford, tenor Michael Deshield, soprano Emily Michiko Jensen, tenor Nathan Shafer, tenor Matthew Sink, and soprano Johanna Will.
The judging panel included WSNY Singers Committee Co-Chairs Cori Ellison, Tyson Deaton, and Deborah Surdi, along with Ken Benson and Roger Malouf. Our special guest judge was the distinguished pianist and coach, Craig Rutenberg.
Applications were received from thirty-one artists, and after a rigorous review, eleven were selected to take part in the final auditions.