The Richard Tucker Foundation celebrates the American opera singer. Established in memory of the boy cantor who rose to a three-decade reign as the Met’s top postwar tenor (Italian and French division), the noncompetitive Richard Tucker Award each year recognizes an American talent on the cusp of international operatic stardom. This year’s gala showcases the scintillating soprano Lisette Oropesa, the latest honoree. As usual, a powerful lineup of marquee-name guest artists lends the coronation extra éclat. —M.G.