Cincinnati auditions came and went, in a whirlwind 2.5 days. Our 5:30am departure for the airport on Saturday morning (following this absolutely beautiful Friday night concert that Lee Anne booked) turned into the beginning of a road trip, as our flight into CVG was cancelled, and no others were available to get us into town
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NYC Days 3 & 4: Short List! Food!
Today, the first look at the operas that have ended up on the first iteration of our “short list” of possible rep for 2015. But first, doughnuts!!! These landed in our room this morning, thanks to our every-thoughtful auditions monitor. The Doughnut Plant is just a few blocks south. (I’m so sad that I know that
Read MoreFinal Deadline Looms…
It’s Monday, and Mercury is in retrograde (we’re learning that the hard way…), but you still have a few more hours to submit an application to audition for the 2015 season. Deadline midnight tonight, October 6. Start at www.wolftrap.org/opera/audition.
Read MoreNYC: Day 2 (Monologues!)
Today, some advice for singers who are in the position of choosing and delivering an audition monologue. Our prospective Studio Artists must do just this. And we’ve had some really good ones come through the door over the last two days! Do you ever wonder why in the world singers are required to prepare monologues? We
Read MoreNYC: Day 1
I am constantly amazed by how different it is to do auditions in New York now that the National Opera Center is here. A room with true acoustics, a place for singers to relax (well, as close as one can get to relaxing before a job interview), a warm-up room, a few vending machines…. It’s positively
Read MoreAudition Season, A to Z
Tomorrow will be spent packing, in preparation for the WAS-NYP-CVG-ORD-PHL-LAX-SFO-SEA-IAH-IAD 8,000-mile/1,000-aria adventure that is the next 6 weeks. As I get ready, I’m aware that many of you need to get your heads in the game for your own audition odysseys. To that end, here’s a look back at various bits of audition season advice
Read MoreIt’s Just the Beginning
This concludes an 8-part series of posts containing audition season advice submitted by Wolf Trap Opera alumni. I was astonished that within a few days of putting out a group email request, I received messages from almost 40 singers. Clearly, this business of auditioning is not easy, and generous colleagues are always eager to share what
Read MoreLet It Go.
Part Eight in a series of posts containing audition season advice submitted by Wolf Trap Opera alumni. It’s telling that this theme emerged more frequently than others among all of the advice submitted. Do not underestimate its power. Let It Go: Say the Serenity Prayer. Then just sing. Don’t go in expecting to land the job.
Read MoreBe True to Yourself
Part Seven in a series of posts containing audition season advice submitted by Wolf Trap Opera alumni. Be True to Yourself: And be kind to yourself. If you won’t, who will? Just because you’re auditioning for a role, it doesn’t mean you have to spend that time ‘proving’ you can sing, ‘proving’ you’ve got chops… you’ve got to stay
Read MoreLook on the Bright Side
Part Five in a series of posts containing audition season advice submitted by Wolf Trap Opera alumni. The Power of Positivity: The glass is way more than half full. Everyone behind that table desperately wants you to be AWESOME. No one is judging you in the way you think. Everyone that you will ever sing for wants
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