Gregory Turay's (right) last Lexington performance was a benefit production of La Traviata on October 2006. He sang the role of Alfredo opposite Darla Diltz (left) as Violetta. Photo by Joseph Rey Au.

Gregory Turay, the tenor who helped put the University of Kentucky’s voice program on the map, will be back at UK next year.

According to UK Opera Theatre director Everett McCorvey, Turay will be an artist-in-residence at the school, teaching master classes, giving recitals and even possibly performing in some of next year’s opera productions. Turay will also have some national and international engagements while he is working here.

“They get to work with someone who is currently out in the field having a career,” McCorvey said of the UK students. “They are pretty excited.”

When Turay won the Metropoilitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1995, it sort of fast-tracked his career. So, while he started work on a masters degree, he has not had the time to complete it. He will be working on that degree while at UK next academic year. UK has had numerous internationally acclaimed singers and directors in to work with students for short durations. Turay’s stay will be the first time the opera program has had a year-long artist-in-residence.