John Osborn, a soloist in CSO’s Verdi Requiem, named Singer of the Year

American tenor John Osborn was named Sänger des Jahres (Singer of the Year) for his performance of Eléazar in the Opera Frankfurt production last summer of La Juive, as well as for “his stage brilliance” in several other productions throughout Europe (including in Rome and Madrid) by the German magazine Opernwelt.

Osborn, a native of Sioux City, Iowa, will be among the vocal soloists featured in Verdi’s Requiem, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Riccardo Muti, on June 19-24.

“To feel honored is an absolute understatement,” Osborn said in a statement released by his alma mater, Simpson College, in Indianola, Iowa, 20 miles south of Des Moines. “I am humbled to know that I have received such prestigious recognition in a world that is very diverse, subjective and competitive.”

A panel of 44 journalists selected Osborn for his latest honor in competition with thousands of other artists. Osborn was recognized for his stellar performance as Eléazar.

Osborn’s career dates to his senior year at Simpson, when he won a National Council Award from the Metropolitan Opera. He made his professional debut with the Des Moines Metro Opera in 1993 and joined the Met’s Young Artist Development Program after graduating from Simpson. Since then, he has performed in many productions worldwide, winning numerous accolades and awards along the way.