It was a whirlwind Seattle visit. The morning pre-audition ritual was particularly extensive, as we were still on east coast time and up before the sun. A 7am hike up Queen Anne hill netted us one of the most memorable sunrises I’ve seen. (Captured at right with my phone, as of course, I didn’t think
Read MorePosts Tagged: auditions
2012 Short List
We’ve finished 12 of the 20 days on our audition tour (with still many miles and 4 cities to go…), and it’s time for the first iteration of the Short List. Much can and will change between now and November 15, but here’s what we’re brainstorming so far for next season. Exact outcome dependent on
Read MorePennsylvania to California
A look back at Philly, only 48 hours ago… Our new digs at Rock Hall on the campus of Temple University. The venue recommendation was made by a singer friend, and truly, it’s an acoustic that a singer can love. [Translated: our ears were ringing, but we made our peace with it :)] Lunch at
Read MorePlay Nice
It’s been said before, here and elsewhere, and it’s worth saying again: Who you are in the room outside the audition is important, too. Not that there’s an epidemic or anything – thankfully the folks who run afoul of this guideline are in the minority. But there always seem to be a few… Most people
Read MoreAudition Season 2011: The Santa Fe Dilemma
A message for singers who are auditioning for us and for Santa Fe this fall: It’s been a complicated week for many of you, I know. Because of various schedule considerations, Santa Fe Opera went on the road early this fall, and we know that the deadline for many of their offers is today. A
Read MoreChicago: Pizza Pot Pie & Aria Potpourri
Thank you, Chicago, for the refreshing range of arias we’ve heard this week. Not nearly as repetitive as New York, and I believe we set a new record on Wednesday: 57 arias, only two of which were repeats. Yes, boys and girls, that’s 55 different arias in 7 hours! Chicago: The Food Diary Three days
Read MoreSongs, Laughs, An Opinion…
Today, a focus on singers auditioning for our Studio Artist program! Lead With Your Strengths Because many of our Studio applicants are still undergraduates and some aren’t in environments with strong opera programs, we allow art songs as audition choices. If you’re auditioning for the Studio, please don’t be shy in opening the audition with
Read More1 Down, 7 To Go!
Cities, that is. The 7-day New York stint is history. It was a tough week, and I still have to sort out exactly why. Our new audition digs at the DiMenna Center were amazing. Nice acoustic, enviable NYC creature comforts (clean bathrooms, ample waiting space), a warm-up room, and free WiFi. But the daily slog
Read MoreOptical Illusions
The corners of the room have never been more attractive, it seems. So much so that we were contemplating moving our table from the center so that we could see people’s faces. But after wondering for a while why so few audition arias were being sung in our direction, we learned that some singers were
Read MoreColumbus Day Audition Edition
After auditions yesterday afternoon we decided to try to hit the High Line. Obviously such a good idea that all of the tourists in the city shared it… I understand that the High Line is a lovely thing, but shoulder-to-shoulder on a summery Sunday is not the best way to experience it. (Rahree went running
Read More