OPERA WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Two singers shared top honors at the Metropolitan Opera Western Regional Auditions, completed Saturday night at Bovard Auditorium, USC. Soprano Celeste Tavera, 27, of Orange and baritone Leroy Villanueva, 24, of Altadena each won $3,400 and a trip to New York in March for the finals.

Second prize was awarded to mezzo-soprano Donna Ames, 28, of Tucson, Ariz., and soprano Carole Sihilling, 28, of Newport Beach. Each singer received $2,300.

Tenor Jorge Lopez Yanez, 27, of Northridge captured third prize, worth $1,200. The other two finalists--baritones Robin Buck, 30, of Pasadena and Jubilant Sykes, 32, of Santa Monica--were each given Encouragement Awards of $500.

Judging the competition were Regina Resnik, Carol Neblett, Stephen Lord and Lawrence Stayer.