LONG BEACH SINGER WINS MET CONTEST

Soprano Anne-Marie Bosche, 28, took first place amid a field of 22 singers, at the Orange County district Metropolitan Opera auditions Saturday at Cal State Fullerton.

Bosche, of Long Beach, won after singing the Jewel Song (“Air des Bijoux”) from Gounod’s “Faust,” and “Deh vieni non tardar” from Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.”

Second-place winner was baritone Hector Vasquez, 29, who sang arias from Thomas’ “Hamlet” and Korngold’s “Die Tote Stadt.” Vasquez is from Brea.

Tying for third place were soprano Catherine Powell, 30, of La Habra, and mezzo-soprano Melody Rossi-Metcalf, 29, of Norco.

Soprano Linda Rose Linnebach, 28, of San Clemente, took fourth place.

Buena Park resident Betty Woods, whose age was not given, received a special Encouragement Award.

Judges for the competition were Elizabeth Mannion, Dorothy Warenskjold and La Verne Ricchio.

The first- through fourth-place winners will move on to the western regional finals, to be held Nov. 14 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.