NYC’s Met searches for opera hopefuls

The Metropolitan Opera National Council will audition new opera talent at IU’s Musical Arts Center Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Indiana District competition is part of the national competition, and it is free and open to the public. The Metropolitan Opera sponsors the auditions in order to find new, opera talent. Only about 25 applicants will audition.

“This competition is a real career opener for the auditioning singers,” said Maria Levy, the executive administrator for the IU Opera and Ballet Theater. “Many singers who audition for the Met in the Indiana District get their start in this competition.”

Past winners have gone on to join successful opera companies, develop lasting professional singing careers, sing with the Met and even teach at IU. Some of those success stories include IU alumni Sylvia McNair in 1982, Elizabeth Futral in 1991, Angela Brown in 1997, and Larry Brownlee in 2001.

Not only do winners claim bragging rights from the competition, but they receive prize money from the Metropolitan Opera.

The judges, who represent the Metropolitan Opera, will decide the number of winners and how  much money they will get. The judges include Timothy O’Leary, the general director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Jane Bunnell, mezzo-soprano; and Brian Zeger, the artistic director of the Department of Vocal Arts at The Juilliard School.

“Singers have been awarded up to $6000,” Levy said.

The Indiana District winners will go on to compete in the Tri-State Region Finals of the competition in Cincinnati on Jan. 18. If successful in the regional competition, finalists will go on to the final auditions in New York in February. The Indiana District winners will also sing in a special PBS-televised concert in New York.

Levy said that even the losers will benefit from auditioning.

“Auditioning for the Met is a way that singers can be identified for different potential opportunities, even for those who don’t win,” Levy said. “After the auditions are over, judges give feedback sessions for the singers. It’s a nurturing process, and it opens lots of possible doors.”

Each vocalist will perform one prepared selection and the judges can ask to hear more selections if needed, Levy said.

Most of the applicants have studied with their voice teachers and coaches well in advance to prepare for the competition.

Applicants are required to be American or Canadian citizens between the ages of 20 and 30 with ample musical training, including the ability to sing in more than one language.

“They must be the most qualified, top-of-the-line singers in order to win over the rest of the applicants,” said Levy. “We expect a lot of young talent this year.”