Vote for the Best Singer of our Star-Spangled Anthem
CONTACT: Allison Engel 213/740-1927 allison.engel@usc.edu
Pity the poor judges at Classical KDFC who have to select one singer (or vocal group) to trill our National Anthem in front of a full stadium at AT&T Park on July 5. The lucky vocalist gets to kick off the San Francisco Opera’s free simulcast of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera La Traviata, beamed in high definition from a live performance at the War Memorial Opera House to the huge DiamondVision screen at the ballpark.
To find “The Star Spangled Banner” singer, Classical KDFC invited listeners to put themselves on tape singing the anthem. Seventy-four video submissions came in. The dilemma became obvious. Should it be Ethan Yan, the boy soprano wearing red and white striped suspenders? The tight barbershop quartet called “Four on the Floor” submitted by member Ken Henry? The drag star Erik Chalfat as Vanessa Bousay, “the Chanteuse of the Barbary Coast,” singing in a red strapless evening gown and mile-high hair? The toddler Nicolette Ledford?
The dozens and dozens of entertaining performances of “The Star Spangled Banner” are on the KDFC website, and the contest judges are asking the public to help them choose a winner. View them here and then cast your vote. Votes will be collected until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 22, and will help the judges — San Francisco Opera’s General Director David Gockley, San Francisco Opera Music Director Nicola Luisotti and KDFC President Bill Lueth – make the final selection.
During the July 5 simulcast, which begins at 8 p.m., announcers Dianne Nicolini and Hoyt Smith will be broadcasting the opera on KDFC from the stadium. They’ll be on screen before the three-hour simulcast show and during the two intermissions, doing interviews and providing commentary.
More information on the Opera at the Ballpark event is here. In the meantime, watch the videos and vote!
KDFC, the Bay Area’s listener-supported classical radio station, broadcasts at 90.3 FM in San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland, 89.9 FM in Napa/Sonoma, 92.5 FM in Ukiah/Lakeport, 104.9 in the South Bay/Peninsula and 90.3 FM in Los Gatos/Saratoga. It can be heard around the world at kdfc.com
