For singers and other performers, auditioning can be more of a trial than any other part of the professional life. Opera managements hold different categories of audition:
1. General auditions, at which any singer who applies to the auditions secretary may sing to a panel of music and other staff. Here you will be given a minimum amount of time, and need to make a clear impact. This could provide your first break in the opera business, but donΓÇÖt audition until you feel vocally secure and your singing teacher advises you that you stand a good chance of a job. General auditions give the singer the opportunity for companies to see them - and then put their observations on file. Sometimes general auditions lead to immediate small r├┤les or understudy work, but only sometimes.
2. Invited auditions. The opera management already has some interest in you, or your agent has bullied the casting department into thinking they might need you for a particular part -or even a contract. But youΓÇÖll still be one of many up for a particular job.
3. Stage auditions. These happen on the opera house stage. The management are really interested in you now, but youΓÇÖre still only one of several people that they are hearing for a particular r├┤le or contract. They want to hear how your voice sounds in the acoustic of the opera house. Be on your best form. Possibly the conductor and director of a specific production are judging fine points of your performance, or the suitability of your character.
Some audition tips. Dress tidily, but comfortably. If you are Be organised. Visual impression, and efficiency are two of the central tenets of theatre doctrine. The audition secretary will give you details of what sort of arias and how many the panel might want to hear. Thereafter, choose pieces to sing (ΓÇ£audition piecesΓÇ¥) with which you feel comfortable vocally (of suitable tessitura) and which show off the best facets of your voice (its range and agility, for example). Above all, choose pieces which you find personally inspiring - which you can really perform.
