August 2009 – All Articles

When I decided to make the 140-mile trek to sit down with a few of the Apprentice Artists at this summer’s Lake George Opera Festival, I had no idea I

At a time when many opera companies are scaling back, one company in upstate New York is making some significant changes in the face of recent unprecedented growth. Curtis Tucker, former general director and now artistic director, shares the reasons for his title change and what it means for him and Lake George Opera.

Don’t let the seemingly endless expenses that go along with your audition package get you down. There are ways to save costs without scrimping on quality.

It’s 5 a.m. The alarm rings. You don’t want to get up, but you force yourself to drag your sorry behind out of bed, knowing you’ll regret it if you

Addio, Amato Opera, ‘Addio mio dolce amor!’ Even if Amato Opera did not present Puccini’s Edgar, the opera from which the headline derives, its music was sweet to the ears

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International superstar Patricia Racette makes history next month in San Francisco, becoming one of a handful of sopranos to ever sing in one evening all three leading roles in the three operas that make up Puccini’s Il trittico. Find out what makes this endeavor such a challenge, and what advice Racette has on both singing Puccini in general and tackling the heroines of Suor Angelica, Il tabarro, and Gianni Schicchi.

The sixth annual Classical Singer Convention convened in Chicago May 29-31. With over 1,000 people participating from high school to professional levels, it was the biggest convention yet. Read about one singer’s convention experience, including how she learned to overcome fear in auditions, make her high notes soar and, most importantly, take her career by the horns to find success now.

Singing jobs are scarce enough without limiting your options. If you’ve done enough homework to know you feel comfortable vocally in musical theatre repertoire, then it may be time to pursue work there. The union that governs the contracts for this work is Actor’s Equity—and to have an Equity contract, you need to be a member of that union. Here’s what you need to know about how, why, and when to join.

Follow these great tips for packing light so you don’t break your back—or the bank—this audition season.

In addition to gaining the requisite experience to move from the student level, to the Young Artist level, to the professional arena, finding the funding to keep your career going is also necessary. Read about one foundation which has been helping singers do just that for over seven years.

Before you start launching expletives at opera companies as you pull out your checkbook to pay yet one more audition fee, find out the whys and wherefores of those fees.