You may be thinking, “Not another article on how to prepare for auditions!”
We have all most likely read many of them—full of tips on what to sing, how to prepare your music, and what to wear. What people don’t often tell you, however, is what auditioners really want from you in the audition—that something extra that will get you hired. We hope to give you both.
First, you have to be prepared, and that includes the following:
Part I: Preparation
Studying in Depth
We don’t believe there has ever been a criticism for being overly prepared. Good luck is preparation!
Listening to Various Recordings, Singers, Conductors, Etc.
As you listen, notice the phrasing and colors—how do they affect you? Then come up with your own way of performing the piece, taking the things you like and using what best suits your voice.
Attending Performances Regularly
Attending performances allows you to look for and connect with what moves you and what doesn’t. It also brings awareness to your strengths and your creativity, your uniqueness. It provides a platform for you to see what is great in you, what sparks your best self to come forward.
Knowing the Translation of All Texts Word for Word
Actually speaking the text in conversational English and then in the original language can help with accenting the right words, coloring the words in a particularly interesting way, and expressing emotion more naturally.
Understanding the History of the Entire Opera/Work That You Are Performing, Presenting, or Learning
It is quite obvious when a singer does not know the context of the aria that they are singing. For example: Who is the character you are playing and why are they singing the aria? What are they thinking or feeling? How are they behaving? How does that fit in with the entire opera?
Knowing Something about Your Colleagues That You Are Singing For
Doing a simple Google search about a company or particular person can immediately connect you in a closer way. For example, if you knew a company just did L’elisir d’amore, then you could ask how it went or congratulate them on a great review. Simple comments can immediately give you an edge because you took the time to research and care about them.
Taking Classes to Improve Your Skills
Have you taken a movement class? Have you taken in-depth language courses or studied them with a knowledgeable coach? Have you taken an audition class? Anything that makes you more aware of yourself and the high skill level required for this craft may give you an edge.
Refining Your Audition Repertoire
The number one issue with auditions is singing the wrong repertoire. Always try and sing arias in your Fach. Always sing arias from operas that are appropriate for you to sing. Sing arias when you know and you feel in your soul that they are appropriate for you. If you think the opera might be too heavy for your age or voice type, then you probably should not sing that particular aria.
Knowing Yourself in Terms of Your Strengths and Weaknesses
If you know you are a great actor/actress, then please sing an aria that allows you to move and show that strength. If you are a great musician, sing an aria that is incredibly musical and shows off your amazing musicality. Conversely, if you are not as good at acting, you might want to choose something that requires less physical action. And if you are learning to be more musical, you may not want to choose a Bel Canto aria or something more romantic. Keep working on those in studio.
Expecting Questions and Preparing for Them
Expect to converse with the audition panel and rehearse what you will say or the answers to any question they might ask of you. Speak clearly and, most importantly, please, please be yourself. The point of questions is usually to see how you will respond and whether they actually enjoy their interactions with you.
Practicing Speaking the Aria and Opera Titles You Will Present
A huge turnoff happens when a singer does not know how to pronounce their aria or the opera that it comes from.
Part II: That Extra Something
Now let’s discuss how to get the job!
Those who audition you want you to succeed. Believe it or not, people want you to perform well. Yes, they do. They have no interest in sitting through a bad audition. Quite the opposite—they would like to discover the next great singer and they want to be the one that discovered you! Yes, they do.
People want to be moved to remember you. We say this all the time, but it is worth repeating: please don’t be boring! Sing from your heart! You have a much better chance of getting a job when you are able to stop thinking about your technique and simply be yourself and sing from your heart. Sing from your soul. Sing soft. Sing loud. Sing everything in the middle. Sing with different colors and take chances with phrasing. Stage the opera. Stage your arias. Don’t be afraid to move, but don’t move without objectives. Yes, some people might tell you to stand there, and that is fine. But humans move!
People listen for and can hear your level of conviction and confidence. You will succeed when you are confident—and not until then. Yes, of course it is natural to be nervous, but let that be because you respect the music and the composer, not because you question yourself. Transform nervousness into positive power!
Be prepared and know your stuff so there is nothing negative anyone can say about that. Sure, some may like your voice, and some may not like your voice. You cannot control that. You can control being prepared. You can control being positive. You can control being confident. You can control not being boring. You can control just being yourself and allowing people to see the true, wonderful person and artist you are when you perform.
We know you can do it. It is time for you to believe it and just shine!
