L.A. Baritone Wins First Place in Audition for Met

John Atkins, a 29-year-old baritone from Los Angeles, was the first-place winner in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions western regional competition, held Saturday at Bovard Auditorium, USC. He garnered $3,400 in awards, and will represent the region in the national finals in the spring in New York.

The second- and third-place winners were sopranos Jennifer Bodenweber, 31, who received $2,300, and Nina Warren, 23, who took home $1,200. Both are from Los Angeles.