Biz news: IMG promotes V-P, signs 5 singers

Sam Snook, a 15-year company veteran, has been named head of vocal at the IMG London office.

He has instantly made five signings:
Chinese tenor Mingjie Lei, who recently starred as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at Dutch National Opera, American tenor Ryan Capozzo, finishing his tenure in the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and singing Steersman in Der fliegende Holländer; Cuban baritone Eleomar Cuello, in his first season in the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera, Argentinian bass-baritone Federico De Michelis, singing Laurentino in El Milagro del Recuerdo at San Diego Opera, and Hungarian bass-baritone Gábor Bretz, who recently finished his first performances as Wotan in Das Rheingold at La Monnaie, and will soon premiere the same role in Die Walküre as part of their new Ring Cycle.

The move comes within hours of a revamp of the HarrisonParrott executive team.