Opera competition winners

Clare Mueller, a soprano from Bernardsville, N.J., won the 30th vocal competition of the Baltimore Opera Competition Saturday night in Friedberg Hall at the Peabody Conservatory. Along with the $10,000 in prize money and contract support that came with first prize, Miss Mueller won an extra $1,000 as the Audience Award winner -- one of the few times in the competition's history that the vote of the judges has coincided with that of the audience.

The other six prize winners were : soprano Lisa Erickson of Philadelphia, who won $4,500; bass Eric Owens of Philadelphia, who won $4,000; soprano Kimberly Jones of Chicago, who won $4,000; mezzo-soprano Amy Johnson of Doylestown, Pa., who won $2,000; tenor Christopher Petrucelli of New York, who won $1,000; and tenor Raul Mello of Miami, who won $500.

The competition attracted 98 young American singers. The judges were Licia Albanese, David Bamberger, Paul Cote, Irma Cooper and Georgui Lalov. At the end of the competition, Loretta Ver Valen was honored. She has been the chairwoman of the competition since its inception 30 years ago and is now retiring. She was given an inscribed silver heart and letters of thanks and congratulations from past winners, including such well-known singers as James Morris, Paul Plishka and Carmen Balthorp.