The award, which includes a $50,000 prize, is meant to “help further the careers of rising stars by providing additional funding for vocal coaching, language study, travel costs, and other professional expenses.”

Whether or not Willis-Sorensen, who headlined a revival of Il trovatore in the fall, returns to the Met for the title role in Arabella in November, and headlined a prominent production of Norma in Berlin this spring, truly fits the criteria of “rising star” is your guess as much as mine.