The Road to 2017: NYC

PSA to all singers re auditioning in the Marc A. Scorca Recital Hall at Opera America:

There are steps about 4 feet downstage of the piano! We’ve watched too many almost-accidents (and one actual tumble) from folks entering the hall and falling down the steps before we could warn them.

OK, on to the report :)

Love Your Pianist

You’ve heard all of the basic advice. Two-sided, no glossy sheet protectors, no faint xeroxes, etc. But beyond that:

Please…

• If you use music that has been generated from a program like Finale or Sibelius, and you hand-write in your text, make sure it lines up with the notes.
• If your regular pianist makes a lot of markings in your music – fingerings, cautionary accidentals, notes to leave out – please put a clean copy of the aria in your binder rather than using the marked-up one.
• And if you have occasionally sung your Baroque aria a half step down, and someone has added flats to the score, please bring a clean copy to your audition.

The Aria Report

4 unusual arias to which we’d like to call your attention:

• Mezzos: Suitcase Aria from Flight and “Am I in Your Light” from Doctor Atomic. Really nice options for those of you who are looking for a Must-the-Winter alternative.
• Baritones: Need a German aria? Tired of Papageno and not an Abendstern kind of guy? Check out “Heiterkeit und Frölichkeit” from Lortzing’s Der Wildschütz (IMSLP has the whole opera; download it and grab the aria.)
• Basses: Varlaam’s Drinking Song from Boris Godunov. A little less rangy than something like “Quand la flamme.”

Audition Fashion Watch*

The pantsuit trend is really showing up, and ladies are looking really good in them! Polished, elegant, comfortable.

We’ve seen some bold brightly-colored big earrings paired with monochromatic (some black, some white) outfits. An easy, memorable, and easy-to-pack pop of color.

More white dresses than I can remember seeing, and I really love them!

2 more days in NYC, then off to Chicago!

Photo: The New York audition panel. I have no idea who the grumpy-looking person on the right is…