Vancouver Opera has announced the winners of its first Operabot contest.

This international on-line contest asked contestants to create animated shorts based on the VO's four 2009-2010 operas: Norma, Nixon in China, The Marriage of Figaro, and Madama Butterfly. The winning entries, chosen by a panel of judges at a screening at Rainmaker Studios on November 18, all drew from Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

First place: Brandon Cathay

Second place: Gabriela Meijia and Chris Holbrow

Third place: Arron Robinson, Olaf Miller, and Curt Spurging

Public vote: Brad Lamey

A screening of all contest submissions will be held at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on December 1 at 7:30 p.m. prior to the VO's performance of Norma.