The Road to 2017: Chicago

First, we’ve received a few questions on Monday’s post, which referenced the finalists for our audition tour. A bit of clarification:

We use our callback system as an indication of whether or not we are carrying you forward for possible casting in 2017. Here’s how it works:

• You can find your callback status by logging into your account on the audition application website.
• If you are scheduled for a callback audition, that means that you are a finalist and are still under consideration for 2017. You’ll hear from us as soon as we take the next step in our casting process, likely by mid-November.
• If you are not scheduled for a callback audition, that’s your indication that we’re not able to keep you under consideration for 2017. We offer audition feedback each January; if you’d like some comments on your audition, please email us then.
• These details and more, including contact information are on our auditions page.

Hump Day!

Well, ladies and gents, it’s Hump Day here in Chicago. Today we hit the rough halfway point for this year’s tour.  284 auditions behind us, 288 to go. This week we’re in the recital hall at Pianoforte Studios. A great place with lovely people, and some fun painted stairs. >>>

We spent part of our lunch break perusing one of the latest Schmopera posts, which hit a little close to home. I probably won’t be able to resist writing a response, but it’ll have to wait. We are in the middle of a punishing stretch, with auditions in 9 out of 10 days in 3 different cities. No spare brain cells.

A Word About Transpositions

It might be not obvious to younger singers who are just starting out in this business, so I’ll just put this here: Don’t transpose standard arias for your audition. The way an aria sits in the voice is part of its identity, on many levels – artistic, expressive, technical. When you sing it in a key other than that in which it was written (and/or is commonly performed), it becomes a completely different thing.

Firsts

Chicago was the first time this fall we’ve heard a surprisingly popular aria: Figaro’s “Largo al factotum” from Il barbiere di Siviglia.

And it was the first time we’ve ever heard the Animal Trainer’s Prologue from Berg’s Lulu! :)

Road Trip

Tomorrow morning we’re off to Cincinnati OH by rental car. (Having proved too many times that flying from Chicago to Cinci is both expensive and unreliable…) Abiding by the Rules of the Car: