Glimmerglass Opera’s Artistic Department is extremely busy in the fall. Have you heard of our Young American Artists Program (YAAP)? I hope so; we think it’s great. It’s an acclaimed apprenticeship program for singers young in their career. You can read more about it here: YAAP. The Artistic Department is now receiving all applications for the 2010 summer program. We have received between 700 and 800 applications each season for the past two years. Eric Schnobrick, Artistic Events and Music Manager, and Allison Hooper, Artistic Operations Manager, process all the applications as they arrive – no small task. Sometimes Guild members or other staff members volunteer to help because it is such a daunting task.
In addition to an application form, each applicant submits a detailed resume, contact information for three professional references, a (recent) CD recording of two arias in contrasting styles and languages, two copies of a headshot and their application fee.
Once all this is processed, Don Marrazzo, Director of Casting and Artistic Operations, screens the audition CDs in order to select the singers that he, Michael MacLeod (General & Artistic Director) and David Angus (Music Director) would like to hear in live audition. This team will typically hear between 150 and 200 singers in live audition. This year, Glimmerglass is holding auditions in Cincinnati, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. After it is decided who will be heard in live audition, Allison (Artistic Operations Manager) has to create the audition schedule and post it online for review. Then the traveling begins! The deadline for applications is September 21.
More to come on this and other Artistic Department activities.