Kiswe Partners with The Metropolitan Opera to Stream the Laffont Competition 2025

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ and NEW YORK CITY, NY – March 5, 2025 — Kiswe, a leading provider of direct-to-consumer streaming technology, proudly announces its fifth consecutive year in partnership with The Metropolitan Opera to produce and globally distribute the 2025 National Semifinals of the Laffont Competition set for March 9, 2025. This continued collaboration ensures opera fans worldwide can experience one of the genre’s most anticipated events.

Since its inception in 1954, the Laffont Competition—formerly the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—has launched the careers of many of opera’s greatest talents. Dedicated to discovering and nurturing young singers, the competition provides invaluable exposure, guidance, and career development opportunities. Its esteemed alumni include internationally acclaimed artists such as Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Stephanie Blythe, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, and more.

This year, twenty semifinalists from twelve U.S. regions will compete for a chance to advance to the finals. The Met is leveraging Kiswe’s cloud production and global video distribution technology to transform the Laffont Competition semifinals into a premium livestreamed event. By integrating multiple video and graphical assets, Kiswe delivers a studio quality production that extends the competition’s reach far beyond the venue, bringing the next generation of operatic talent to fans, families, and opera enthusiasts worldwide.

“"The Laffont Competition is excited to again partner with Kiswe for the livestream of our National Semifinals,” said Melissa Wegner, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. “We trust the innovative products and services that Kiswe offers to connect us with opera fans around the world."

“Streaming the Laffont Competition directly to consumers is an exciting opportunity to connect opera lovers with the future of this beautiful art form,” said Glenn Booth, CEO of Kiswe. “Our innovative production and distribution capabilities allow us to share these incredible performances of emerging talent with a global opera loving audience.”

The livestreamed semifinals will offer opera aficionados a unique, front-row seat to opera’s future, as the young contestants showcase their vocal abilities and stage presence.The 2025 Laffont Competition National Semifinals will be a significant moment in the careers of these rising stars, and Kiswe is honored to once again play a pivotal role in making this unforgettable event accessible to viewers around the globe.

Fans can watch the event at https://laffont.kiswe.com/

About Kiswe

Kiswe is an award-winning global technology company that powers direct-to-consumer (D2C) and OTT streaming platforms for sports leagues, teams, entertainers, and creators. Kiswe enables content owners to distribute and monetize their content through branded apps and websites across mobile, and CTV. With best-in-class streaming technology, flexible monetization models, cloud-based production, and real-time insights, Kiswe empowers content owners to deepen fan engagement and drive business growth. Kiswe has a unique partnership model and works with teams from the NBA, NHL, NFL, and WNBA, in addition to powering PPV.COM, the D2C streaming platform from iNDEMAND.

About the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition

In recognition of a generous gift from the Laffont family, the Met’s nationwide vocal competition—known since its founding in 1954 as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—begins a new chapter as the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. Mrs. Laffont, an Advisory Director on the Met Board, has spent many hours volunteering with the auditions over the last 20 years, and she and her late husband, Eric, have long been among the program’s most dedicated supporters. The competition is designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers, and is sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera National Council, including members and hundreds of volunteers from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  

Media Inquiries

Sydney Dennen

sydney@purposenorthamerica.com