Lyric's Prince takes a prize

One of the stars of the next Boston Lyric Opera production just nabbed a $15,000 prize in NYC. Bryan Hymel plays the Prince in Dvořák’s Rusalka, opening next week at the Shubert. He was just selected Top Prize Winner in the 2009 Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition. Foundation President Stephen De Maio said the acclaimed tenor won the largest grant that was part of $175,000 awarded this year. Approximately 125 singers competed for a share of this funding March 2-6 in New York City. Hymel got good reviews singing the Prince at the Wexford Festival Opera in '07. Tickets to Rusalka at 866-348-9738 or citicenter.org.