A member of Lyric Opera's production of "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg" will have a chance of becoming an actual "master singer."

Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, currently singing Magdalene in the Wagner opera at Lyric, announced Wednesday via her Facebook page that she has been chosen to represent the United States in the annual Cardiff Singer of the World contest, running June 16-23 in Wales. One of opera's most prestigious competitions, it also marks its 30th anniversary this summer.

Past winners include current opera supernovas Karita Mattila (1983), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (1989) and Nicole Cabell (2005), an alumna of Lyric's Ryan Opera Center.

Barton, 31, a native of Rome, Ga., is one of 20 singers from more than 400 applicants chosen as this year's finalists. On her official site (jamiebartonmezzo.com) Barton wrote: "I'm very much looking forward to getting to know my fellow competitors, as well as getting to know Cardiff. (Fun fact: One of my absolute favorite televisions shows, 'Doctor Who,' is filmed in Cardiff! Perhaps someone could sneak me onto the set of the Tardis?")