Audition Ten Commandments - or What Every General Director Wants to See in an Audition
as published in Opera America’s Audition Connection and in Opera News
June 2004
By Darren K. Woods and Keith A. Wolfe
1. Always sing repertoire that you know well.
Regardless of a company’s upcoming repertoire, your set
of 5-6 arias should represent who you are and what you
sing. You are human, and you are going to be nervous!
That is why singing your best aria, the one that goes
wonderfully 99% of the time, is your best bet. Further,
you should never hastily prepare an aria for an audition;
you must have worked on each piece and performed it for
other people before trying it out at an audition. If you
have learned something at the last minute in the hopes of
being considered for a specific role, you will not be as
prepared, nor will you present yourself as well. Trust
us to make the leap from what you are singing to what we
are casting. One caveat: do not choose any extremely
long arias. You want the panel to want more. If
someone sings a coloratura aria, we will then want to
hear him or her sing a legato line and will ask for
another piece. By filling the entire audition slot with
one aria, you deprive us of a chance to hear another side
of your voice and you deprive yourself of the chance to
keep singing for us.
2. Practice your arias in front of a mirror.
At an audition, we usually know within five notes whether
or not we like your voice. After those first few bars,
we are waiting to be entertained. We want to see you
act, but it should be within the context of the piece.
We don’t expect you to tap dance while singing
Rusalka’s “Song to the Moon.” What we do expect is that
you have connected with the character and can express all
the emotions that he or she is feeling in that aria.
Remember that we are hiring the whole artist.
In order to give your best performance, vocally and
dramatically, these aspects need to be rehearsed into
your audition performance. Don’t let the audition be the
first time you try to act! Work with a drama coach and
stage the arias. Practice the dramatic part of the aria
as much as you practice the music, so that the movement
and expression are as natural as the singing. And do it
in front of a mirror.
3. NEVER sing sick! Never!
You will not sing your best and you will waste the
panel’s time. Be sure and call the opera office and
cancel so someone else can have the time. We will always
let you sing next year.
4. If you can’t recite your repertoire from memory without
thinking or stumbling, type up a repertoire list prior
to the audition and give it to the judges.
The way we see it, your goal is to get in as much
singing as possible during your time slot, and you want
to give us the tools to keep you singing. At Fort Worth
Opera, we highly recommend a repertoire list that you
can give the panel so we can plan what we would like to
hear next.
5. Bring your own accompanist whenever possible, and have
your music and cuts clearly marked.
Although we don’t necessarily take points off for bad
accompaniment, it is a distraction and you will not do
as well if you are not familiar with the pianist. If
you are working with an unfamiliar accompanist, it is
all the more important to bring music that is easy to
read, easy to handle and clearly marked with any
special cuts or notes.
6. Have professional looking photos and resumes.
When we are looking at your publicity materials, you
have only a couple of seconds to get our attention.
Resumes should list your professional work first, then
roles performed non-professionally or at the
university, then list your education and teachers.
Your photo should be a headshot and not show your
hands, fingers, etc. Whenever possible, have two
different looks – one in formal clothes and one more
casual or business dress.
7. Dress well
Men should wear a coat and tie or suit. Turtlenecks
or t-shirts with a sports coat works well too. If
you’re worried about wearing a tie and feel more
comfortable singing without one, remember that many
operas were written in the 18th and 19th century and
you will almost assuredly be wearing neck wear when
in costume, so you better get used to it.
Women should wear a dress, skirt and blouse, or a
suit. The exception is this: if you are presenting
yourself as a “pants role” mezzo, then you can wear
nice pants and a blouse. Wear darker colors on the
bottom with lighter colors toward the top to draw
attention to your face. Both men and women should
avoid having hair in your face!
8. Only audition for appropriate programs or companies.
Be quite sure that you are ready for a given
opportunity the first time, as you may not get
another chance to sing for that person again.
Research the program and/or company by talking with
your colleagues, your teachers, your network of
professional contacts, and using OPERA America’s
Career Guide for Singers. Then, be honest with
yourself. Are you really ready for this
opportunity? Do you have a realistic shot at being
chosen or cast? If not, wait until you are and you
do. It is easier to get another chance to sing the
first time than to correct a negative first
impression.
9. Set specific goals for the audition
With each audition, try to convince yourself that
success does not depend on getting the job. Set
short-term, specific goals for each audition - goals
you can achieve if you work hard and concentrate.
Then pat yourself on the back when you do achieve
them.
10. Remember, we want you to do well!
Every person on the audition panel is there to hear
YOU! We want you to sing your best and we want to
like you. Our job is to find great talent. Imagine
how depressing it would be for us if everyone sang
badly and we were hoping for people to make mistakes –
not a happy career! So don’t regard us as the
enemy. Instead, share the joy you have in singing.
We will, in return be grateful that you shared your
talent with us.
as published in Opera America’s Audition Connection and in Opera News
June 2004
By Darren K. Woods and Keith A. Wolfe
1. Always sing repertoire that you know well.
Regardless of a company’s upcoming repertoire, your set
of 5-6 arias should represent who you are and what you
sing. You are human, and you are going to be nervous!
That is why singing your best aria, the one that goes
wonderfully 99% of the time, is your best bet. Further,
you should never hastily prepare an aria for an audition;
you must have worked on each piece and performed it for
other people before trying it out at an audition. If you
have learned something at the last minute in the hopes of
being considered for a specific role, you will not be as
prepared, nor will you present yourself as well. Trust
us to make the leap from what you are singing to what we
are casting. One caveat: do not choose any extremely
long arias. You want the panel to want more. If
someone sings a coloratura aria, we will then want to
hear him or her sing a legato line and will ask for
another piece. By filling the entire audition slot with
one aria, you deprive us of a chance to hear another side
of your voice and you deprive yourself of the chance to
keep singing for us.
2. Practice your arias in front of a mirror.
At an audition, we usually know within five notes whether
or not we like your voice. After those first few bars,
we are waiting to be entertained. We want to see you
act, but it should be within the context of the piece.
We don’t expect you to tap dance while singing
Rusalka’s “Song to the Moon.” What we do expect is that
you have connected with the character and can express all
the emotions that he or she is feeling in that aria.
Remember that we are hiring the whole artist.
In order to give your best performance, vocally and
dramatically, these aspects need to be rehearsed into
your audition performance. Don’t let the audition be the
first time you try to act! Work with a drama coach and
stage the arias. Practice the dramatic part of the aria
as much as you practice the music, so that the movement
and expression are as natural as the singing. And do it
in front of a mirror.
3. NEVER sing sick! Never!
You will not sing your best and you will waste the
panel’s time. Be sure and call the opera office and
cancel so someone else can have the time. We will always
let you sing next year.
4. If you can’t recite your repertoire from memory without
thinking or stumbling, type up a repertoire list prior
to the audition and give it to the judges.
The way we see it, your goal is to get in as much
singing as possible during your time slot, and you want
to give us the tools to keep you singing. At Fort Worth
Opera, we highly recommend a repertoire list that you
can give the panel so we can plan what we would like to
hear next.
5. Bring your own accompanist whenever possible, and have
your music and cuts clearly marked.
Although we don’t necessarily take points off for bad
accompaniment, it is a distraction and you will not do
as well if you are not familiar with the pianist. If
you are working with an unfamiliar accompanist, it is
all the more important to bring music that is easy to
read, easy to handle and clearly marked with any
special cuts or notes.
6. Have professional looking photos and resumes.
When we are looking at your publicity materials, you
have only a couple of seconds to get our attention.
Resumes should list your professional work first, then
roles performed non-professionally or at the
university, then list your education and teachers.
Your photo should be a headshot and not show your
hands, fingers, etc. Whenever possible, have two
different looks – one in formal clothes and one more
casual or business dress.
7. Dress well
Men should wear a coat and tie or suit. Turtlenecks
or t-shirts with a sports coat works well too. If
you’re worried about wearing a tie and feel more
comfortable singing without one, remember that many
operas were written in the 18th and 19th century and
you will almost assuredly be wearing neck wear when
in costume, so you better get used to it.
Women should wear a dress, skirt and blouse, or a
suit. The exception is this: if you are presenting
yourself as a “pants role” mezzo, then you can wear
nice pants and a blouse. Wear darker colors on the
bottom with lighter colors toward the top to draw
attention to your face. Both men and women should
avoid having hair in your face!
8. Only audition for appropriate programs or companies.
Be quite sure that you are ready for a given
opportunity the first time, as you may not get
another chance to sing for that person again.
Research the program and/or company by talking with
your colleagues, your teachers, your network of
professional contacts, and using OPERA America’s
Career Guide for Singers. Then, be honest with
yourself. Are you really ready for this
opportunity? Do you have a realistic shot at being
chosen or cast? If not, wait until you are and you
do. It is easier to get another chance to sing the
first time than to correct a negative first
impression.
9. Set specific goals for the audition
With each audition, try to convince yourself that
success does not depend on getting the job. Set
short-term, specific goals for each audition - goals
you can achieve if you work hard and concentrate.
Then pat yourself on the back when you do achieve
them.
10. Remember, we want you to do well!
Every person on the audition panel is there to hear
YOU! We want you to sing your best and we want to
like you. Our job is to find great talent. Imagine
how depressing it would be for us if everyone sang
badly and we were hoping for people to make mistakes –
not a happy career! So don’t regard us as the
enemy. Instead, share the joy you have in singing.
We will, in return be grateful that you shared your
talent with us.
