A surprisingly good take on auditions!This discussion, part of The Singers Audition Handbook, will focus on choosing arias for opera auditions. Most of the professional vocal auditions you are likely to perform will be for opera companies, and your repertoire must be chosen and prepared with very specific guidelines in mind. However, we will be delighted to provide feedback and advice on any art song and other repertoire you’re considering for upcoming auditions. What’s in your audition binder? Will you present the same audition arias this year that you offered last year? What are the reasons behind any of the adjustments you may have made? When you perform an audition for an opera company, you’ll bring a collection of about five arias that, taken together, give the panel a good introduction to your voice and your artistry. You’ll choose the first selection you will perform, and then they will request one or two more. The entire audition will usually be 10 to 15 minutes in length. A well-designed audition package is therefore vital to your success. It must not only enable you to display your vocal skill and artistry in the best possible light, but also indicate the full breadth of your range, musical interests, and personality. When you have only 10 to 15 minutes to get an audition panel excited about the possibility of working with you and demonstrate how your unique skill set would contribute to their season, it’s essential that you provide them with as clear and enticing a picture as you can. Your choice of repertoire says as much about you as your actual singing does. There are many factors to consider when building your audition aria package. These include: What you most love to perform Your current strengths Your full range of skills Your Fach Aria length, complexity & familiarity What the market wants to hear Choose Repertoire You Love This is not as obvious as it would seem, because everyone you sing for will have different ideas about what they think will sound good in your voice. Follow up on their advice and try their suggestions, but present the material that most deeply resonates with you vocally, emotionally and dramatically. You will be able to exude enthusiasm and commitment in your auditions, and the effect on your panel could be contagious. Play to Your Current Strengths Present repertoire that you can sing extremely well with the voice you have right now, and ideally only offer arias from roles that you are currently ready to take on in their entirety. Sing arias that make you feel proud and confident about what your voice can do. Avoid an aria when there’s a 50% chance you’ll fluff the high note or run out of breath midway through a crucial phrase. Panels do not choose the singer who presents the most “difficult” repertoire – they choose the singer who moves them the most and who seems the best vocal fit for their casting needs. Since you can’t effectively guess what those needs may be, offer them the most sincere, confident and beautiful singing that you can. Robert McPherson, Tenor As Lindoro in Litaliana in Algerie, Toulon, 2006 When Robert McPherson first began singing professionally, his flexibility and soaring high notes were among his greatest strengths: “At the beginning of my career, I really tried to present myself in auditions as a lirico leggero. What was normally in my binder usually consisted of ‘Si, ritrovarla io giro,’ ‘Ah! mes amis,’ ‘Un’aura amorosa,’ ‘Ah! lève-toi, soleil!’ and ‘Here I Stand.’ I spent a good five-ten years being Rossini Boy in most people’s minds.” Over the past couple of years, Robert has begun transitioning to lyric tenor roles: “My current plan will be some kind of combination of ‘Parmi veder le lagrime,’ ‘Tombe degli avi midi,’ ‘Nothing More Than This,’ ‘Pourquoi me réveiller,’ ’Vivi tu,’ ‘I must with speed amuse her,’ ‘Fuor del mar,’ and maaaaaaaybe ‘Che gelida manna.’ As you can see, it’s more your basic lyric, though It’s not completely settled. Of course, my Management and I will zero in on a what presents me as the most complete and marketable product.” As the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, Utah Opera, 2012 Show Your Full Range of Skills Your repertoire package should demonstrate everything you enjoy and do well. Make sure to represent all the languages, musical styles, technical skills and dramatic temperaments that you perform most effectively. Cindy Sadler, Mezzo-Soprano In some ways, Cindy Sadler defies categorization. With her distinctive voice and look and larger-than-life stage presence, opera companies find her valuable in a wide array of repertoire. The way she has presented herself in auditions has evolved considerably throughout her career: As Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro “When I first started auditioning, I offered things like ‘Cruda sorte,’ ‘Nobles seigneurs, salut,’ and ‘Non più mesta.’ After my first big apprenticeship, I offered things like the Dalila arias, ‘I am easily assimilated,’ ‘Cruda sorte,’ Falstaff, and even excerpts from Flute and Figaro but dropped ‘Non più mesta’ and ‘Nobles seigneurs,’ not because I couldnt sing them but because I wasnt the right ‘type’. “Eventually I realized that what people want most to hear from me is contralto repertoire, though I always pepper in some high stuff just to show that I can do it. Current repertoire might include: As Ruth in Pirates of Penzance, 2014 any of the big Verdi or Wagner girls; the Couplets from Daughter of the Regiment (which I tart up quite bit to show off both low and high range; also to make it more entertaining); Augusta, Baba the Turk, Jezibaba, Katisha, the Mother from Dead Man Walking; and I often prepare arias or excerpts just for a certain audition. “I guess it just comes down to singing music you love. If you dont love it or have an affinity for it, its not going to work for you. Ive also figured out that there are certain roles or arias that should work for you but for some reason just dont. As Dr. Robert Larsen tells his students - and I have co-opted this statement - ‘Sparkle or die!’ Just because you can sing something doesnt mean you should, and just because it’s comfy doesnt mean it shows off your voice to the greatest degree. You have to find those things that you sing well and that showcase your voice every time.” Give Careful Consideration to Aria Length, Complexity & Familiarity The shorter your arias, the more of your selections the audition panel will have time to hear. Only offer an aria with a complex and challenging piano/vocal reduction when you are able to bring a pianist with whom you have rehearsed it thoroughly. Favor repertoire that is likely to be familiar to the audition panel. Singers sometimes think that offering something far from the beaten path will demonstrate their creative and adventurous nature, but instead it makes them difficult for the panel to assess, as they have no dramatic context for the aria and no knowledge of its vocal range and challenges. Stick with more standard fare – what makes a familiar aria special is the fact that you’re the one singing it! The Aria Frequency Lists Kim Witman, Director of Wolf Trap Opera, keeps careful track of the arias singers offer in their Wolf Trap Young Artist applications. Each year, she publishes a list of these arias, the frequency with with they appear on singers’ lists, and the number of times a singer leads with an aria in their audition. These lists are a great source of information about repertoire that is currently in vogue as well as a means to avoid arias that are at risk for becoming annoyingly familiar. While it is best to stick with fairly standard repertoire, if you know that last year more than half the tenors who applied offered “Dies Bildnis,” you may choose to at least start with something else. However, if you really rock “Dies Bildnis,” go for it – if under those conditions you can give a performance that makes the panel feel like theyre hearing a fresh and fabulous take on it, you’ll make a great impression. Be Aware of Current Hiring Practices Among the professional singers you admire whose careers are more advanced than yours, are there some whose voices and skill sets are similar to yours? What roles are on their calendars for the next few seasons? While it’s important to follow your heart where repertoire choices are concerned, an awareness of where your skills are currently of greatest value in the market should also play a role in your decisions. Katherine Marriot, Mezzo-Soprano Katherine Marriott is a good example of a singer whose concept of her own voice and repertoire has gone through several distinct chapters based on the ways that she - and the opera world - have discovered her voice and persona are most effective onstage. “I started out from conservatoire - and that I came to late - with an unrealistic expectation of the singing world. Somewhat due to my own naiveté, somewhat due to the way the world of singing had changed compared with the one in which my teacher had very successfully taken part. I am a Zwischenfach, and because of my top notes, people wanted me to sing soprano. So I did... and was mediocre. It hadnt occurred to me in those days that my energy onstage said something else. What I do best is frighten people. Or seduce them (in the case of most men, probably the same thing). I was hired on two weeks’ notice for Carmen, and realized in the middle of a tour to the Middle East that I could sing this role at 3.30 a.m. having just rolled out of bed. Change of direction. I’m now a dramatic mezzo. Fits me perfectly. As Lady MacBeth with Staatstheater Mainz, 2011 “And yet, despite having sung Herodias etc. successfully over here in Germany, the auditions [for roles like that] are simply not there at the moment. ‘My’ roles are often taken by star sopranos who can no longer reach the top notes. So, well, I go for what’s left. Often the granny roles, the nanny roles, the older women. Often meaning, they want a contralto, which Im not. I alter my audition repertoire accordingly, and have been known to deepen my facial lines very subtly with eyebrow pencil, and to roll up an extra skirt at my waist, underneath an unflattering dress, to hide my figure.” Know Your Fach The German word “Fach” denotes a specialized voice type. The English word that translates to the closest equivalent is “compartment”. That makes it sound as though the opera world files singers away into drawers based on vocal range, power, flexibility and color. In fact, every voice is unique, and no two singers will find themselves with identical résumés and role specializations. However, the German Fach system of classifying singers provides a useful general guide to audition repertoire selection. Here are two excellent references that break down the Fach system and provide help with repertoire selection: Handbuch der Oper by Wulf Konold, Robert Maschka and Rudolf Kloiber. Even if your German is not stellar, you will find this book valuable for its lists of repertoire and ranges. The Wikipedia article on Fach draws heavily from its content. Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias by Richard Boldrey. This is a terrific reference – I refer to my own copy nearly every day. Boldrey provides exhaustive lists of operas, roles, arias, voice types and representative singers, cross-referencing them to create a massive chart of who generally sings what. How do you figure out what your Fach is? Some singers fit easily and organically into a Fach, while others do not. Some will sing variations on the same repertoire throughout their careers, while others will see their roles evolve to the point where there is no longer any overlap with what they sang in their early professional years. I recommend that you consider these four things while you explore the possibilities: Be self-accepting. You may feel yourself to have the soul of a dramatic baritone but a voice that is perfect for lyric tenor repertoire. Sing the repertoire that suits your voice, and find selections that also suit your imagination. Your voice will continue to grow and change, but you cannot predict or control its direction as it matures. Accept and celebrate who you are. Keep an open mind. A breakthrough in the studio or a few years’ growth may lead to significant changes in your vocal identity. Joan Sutherland trained to be a Wagnerian soprano before discovering how well-suited she was to bel canto repertoire. Christine Goerke was a Handel specialist early in her career but now sings dramatic soprano roles superbly. Violeta Urmana began as a mezzo-soprano and transitioned to soprano mid-career. Be patient. While you are still working out the kinks in your technique, it just isn’t realistic to assign yourself a Fach. You may also find that your teachers, coaches and conductors disagree about the repertoire that is best for you, which can be extremely frustrating and nerve-wracking. Rest assured that when your technique becomes secure and stable, the right repertoire choices will become more apparent. Get advice from someone who is qualified to provide it. Consult with an artist manager or well-traveled coach or conductor who has been paying close attention to what sorts of voices are being cast in different roles around the world. They can provide perspective on how your instrument measures up. Othalie Graham, Soprano While a singer may identify with a particular Fach throughout their career, it remains essential that they keep their audition offerings fresh. While Othalie Graham has sung dramatic soprano repertoire throughout her career and has appeared as the title role in Aida numerous times, she has continued to fine-tune her aria selections over the years as she has learned how her voice and dramatic skills come across most immediately and effectively in auditions. As Aida with Boheme Opera, 2006 As Aida in Sicily with Marcello Giordani as Radames, 2014 Othalies first audition binder contained: Pace, pace, mio Dio Divinité du Styx Ocean, Thou Mighty Monster O patria mia Du bist der Lenz In questa reggia Dich, teure Halle What youll find in her binder now: O Patria Mia Ritorna vincitor Ho-jo-to-ho In questa reggia Allein! Weh, ganz allein! O blinde Augen! Blöde Herzen! Isoldes Liebestod Ecco lorrido campo Meagan Miller, Soprano Alternately, some singers find that they move through a series of Fachs as their careers develop. Meagan Miller began her career pursuing lyric soprano roles, flirted with dramatic coloratura repertoire, and now specializes in both Jugendlich-Dramatisch and Hochdramatisch roles - as she explains, “I have never fit perfectly into any one Fach.” “Here is what I remember from my earliest auditions, but I am unsure if I ever actually offered the Fidelio, and it was a mixture of these, usually not one consistent ‘list.’ Kiss me not Goodbye (from The Mighty Casey) Ah fuggi il traditor! The Jewel Song O wär ich schon mit dir vereint Donde lieta As Minnie in La fanciulla del West in Palermo, 2009. Photo Credit: Studio Camera The idea was of course showing versatility in language, period and style and a fach ‘direction.’ “In the ‘middle’ period, I included longer scenes, to show readiness to be a title character, and hold the stage for a longer period of time, like Lucias mad scene, Konstanzes Martern aller Arten, Traviata Act 1, Ain’t it a Pretty Night?, or Piangerò la sorte mia - but was still showing variety and pieces I hoped I would soon be able to sing onstage. “The most recent auditions I sang were a few years ago, and were mostly directed to specific rep, but included some of: As the Kaiserin in Die Fraue ohne Schatten at the Metropolitan Opera, 2013. Photo credit: Ken Howard Ariadne auf Naxos - Es gibt ein Reich Kaiserin - Entrance Arabella - Das war sehr gut, Mandryka Tannhäuser - Dich, teure Halle Manon Lescaut - In quelle trine morbide Don Carlo - Tu che le vanitá (if I were singing for a house that considered me for Italian stuff) “I felt no pressure to offer more than 3 things, and I focused mostly on pieces I had already sung onstage or had upcoming. I wanted to highlight my Strauss specialty instead of showing variety - I actually remember offering only Strauss arias for some auditions. Sometimes I was asked to sing through something I had not even brought along and often it was a working session, even holding a score. “Overall - going from beginner to established was also the process of getting to know what I truly have to offer on a pro level, and shedding the rest. Even though the rep challenges were more diverse, it was always less pressure to audition as a beginner than later on, even though the rep was more streamlined, because as a pro I had something to live up to!” How do you identify your Fach? Ironically, the only way you can really feel sure of your Fach is to wait and see what you end up getting hired to sing! Until that becomes your reality, present the clearest possible picture of the range, vocal weight, and level of flexibility that best suits your voice. Here are some additional guidelines to help you choose audition repertoire: When possible, sing arias from leading roles. If you present yourself as a principal artist, the panel will be more likely to see you that way. Don’t prepare something at the last minute because you hear there’s an opening you believe yourself qualified for – it’s nearly impossible to sing your best under such conditions. Your binder should only contain arias that you are prepared to sing at your audition. The pianist for your audition may be a member of the opera company. If they see something in your binder that excites them, they may ask to hear it, and you’ll disappoint them if you decline. Be prepared to sing your repertoire in any order the panel asks. Some singers prefer to work high to low, others low to high, but in an audition situation the only control you can exercise over that is with your choice of starter. Create a repertoire list such that whatever they ask for next, you’ll think, “I can’t wait to sing that for them!” Bring a printed list of your audition repertoire for the panel. This will save you the challenge of having to rattle off a list of arias in different languages, and it will save them the trouble of having to remember everything you said. Make sure your spelling and formatting is correct in all languages. Joyce DiDonato, Mezzo-Soprano As Rosina in Paris, 2002 In the early years of Joyce’s career, her audition package included arias from Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Siebel in Faust, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and Adalgisa in Norma. Depending on what a given opera company was casting, she would sometimes also present arias from Charlotte in Werther, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, and Sesto in La clemenza di Tito. As Maria Stuarda in London, 2014 The roles she now has in preparation for the 2014-2015 season include the title roles in Alcina, Maria Stuarda, and La donna del lago, as well as Marguerite in La Damnation de Faust and Romeo in I Capuleti ed i Montecchi. What I find most exciting and interesting about the way her repertoire has evolved is that the Handel, Donizetti and Rossini roles she’s presenting this coming season are traditionally considered the domain of sopranos. Baroque and bel canto styles are both wonderfully flexible, and Joyce is such a specialist in these areas that she is able to tailor the vocal requirements of these roles to suit her lower range and unique superpowers, delivering unique interpretations to wide acclaim. What’s in Your Audition Binder? Like some expert feedback on your audition repertoire? Append your current list in the Comments Section, along with an audio or video recording. We’d be delighted to share our reactions and advice!
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:53:52 +0000
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