Last year’s Who’s Your Diva winner Robin Thomas smiles in the aftermath of her win. This year’s contest starts 7 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Hall and includes seven contestants. (Courtesy photo | Ron Gile for Who’s Your Diva)

Last year’s Who’s Your Diva winner Robin Thomas smiles in the aftermath of her win. This year’s contest starts 7 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Hall and includes seven contestants. (Courtesy photo | Ron Gile for Who’s Your Diva)

It’s Who’s Your Diva? time

Annual contest comes Saturday to Centennial Hall; will feature Aretha Franklin tribute, first-ever divo

In its seventh year, Who’s Your Diva will feature seven contestants.

And for the first time ever, one of the folks gunning Saturday evening for the title of Top Diva will be male.

“I think our biggest twist, frankly is that we’re debuting a divo for the first time,” said Sara Radke Brown, Executive Director for Juneau Lyric Opera.

Richard Carter is the first male diva or divo to participate in the annual contest.

The opera presents the event and all proceeds go toward Juneau Lyric Opera programming.

Also new this year is a people’s choice award, Radke Brown said.

In past years, divas have raised a ton of money during the night of their performance but missed out on the top fundraising prize because other divas had insurmountable head starts.

“We’ll give a top fundraising prize as well as one to the diva or divo who raises the most the night of, and Top Diva,” Radke Brown said.

The event, which will be emceed by Margeaux Ljungberg, will also include multiple tributes to the legendary diva Aretha Franklin, who passed away in August.

There will also be a no-host bar, and the show is suggested for ages 18 and older, Radke Brown said.

Tickets are still available and cost $35 per person or $315 for a 10-person table. They can be purchased at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center, Hearthside Books and online at JuneauOpera.org.

Tickets will also be available at the door, but Radke Brown said people who would like to choose their seats should buy ahead of time.

“We usually encoruage people to by tickets beforehand,” she said.

This year’s divas and divo are Alyssa Fischer, Andria Budbill, Aria Moore, Briannah Letter, Lydia Rail, Myra Kalbaugh and Richard Carter.

Know & Go

What: Who’s Your Diva

Where: Centennial Hall, 101 Egan Drive

When: 7 p.m. and doors open at 6 p.m.

Admission: $35 or $315 for a table of 10

They can be purchased at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center, Hearthside Books and online at JuneauOpera.org. Tickets will also be available at the door.


• Contact arts and culture reporter Ben Hohenstatt at 523-2243 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @capweekly.


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