How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice…” Forget Carnegie Hall–how do you get to the Metropolitan Opera? In the last 20 years, many of opera’s brightest rising stars have included the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Development Program as part of their biographies. But, unlike Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, or San Francisco Opera, the Met does not send out brochures to conservatories or place advertisements in trade publications encouraging singers to come and audition for its program.
I recently spoke with Bill Powers, associate for the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera Company (the official name of the program, hereafter referred to as YADP), and asked him to tell me about the program’s history and how artists are selected for participation. According to Powers, the program was originated in 1980 by artistic director James Levine and has trained artists including Aprile Millo, Heidi Grant Murphy, Dawn Upshaw, Paul Groves, Nathan Gunn, Stanford Olsen, Dwayne Croft, and Mark Oswald. The director (since 1997) is Peter Russell, formerly the director of Wolf Trap Opera. (Russell was unavailable for an interview.)
“The major tool for screening potential artists is the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions,” Powers said, “by which I mean not necessarily winners of the national finals, but artists who have participated at some level–often regional finalists or semi-finalists–who in some way have captured the attention of the judges. These artists are encouraged to send their materials for consideration by the YADP staff.”
What if you didn’t participate in the Met auditions? “Artists who are foreign nationals, and therefore not eligible to enter,” said Powers, “as well as artists who are physically unable to audition due to a contract elsewhere or other reasons, may submit their materials to the Met, along with an explanation of why they are unable to take part in the auditions. The YADP staff will review the materials to determine whether or not an invitation to audition will be extended.” There is also a program for coach/accompanists, which is advertised to conservatories and for which auditions are held each May.
Technically, there is no age limit for YADP–however, there is an age limit for the Met auditions. Since the auditions are the major screening organ of YADP, it stands to reason that the age parameters should conform with the age limits. According to Powers, this year’s program participants “range in age from 19 to 33, with the average age in the mid- to late 20s.”
The YADP generally lasts three years, or two for foreign nationals and coach/accompanists. Contracts extend for one year at a time, but most artists are asked to return. Only on very rare occasions–and none that Bill Powers could recall–will an artist’s contract not be renewed.
The training aspect of the program is particularly attractive. YADP artists are given two voice lessons weekly with a voice teacher of their choice, paid for by the program. “The majority of artists have already established a relationship with a teacher,” said Powers, “and may continue to work with that teacher.” Artists arriving from outside New York are encouraged to try a few lessons with several different teachers before settling on one. The Met does not dictate a teacher but will advise a young artist if it is felt that the training is not going in the right direction.
In addition to lessons, young artists are given weekly coachings. Coachings may be on one of three different levels: Throughout the year with the Met staff; with guest coaches; and with the YADP coach/accompanists. Master classes are also offered throughout the program, with a variety of past and present Metropolitan Opera stars. Recent master clinicians have included Renata Scotto, Diana Soviero, Regina Resnik, Hermann Prey, and Régine Crespin.
Languages are also a strong part of the YADP curriculum. Artists are given German language instruction by Irene Spiegelman in group classes and are able to work with Ms. Spiegelman individually on conversation or role/song preparation. Robert Cowart offers coachings in Italian and French, and Nico Castel is available for language coaching. YADP’s training program also includes Alexander Technique, taught by Lauren Schiff; and acting, taught by Dona Vaughn.
YADP artists appear in recital, and in scenes programs with full orchestra. The scenes program is held either at Lincoln Center, or at the Kay Playhouse on the east side of Manhattan. The Kay Playhouse is also the site for solo recitals, which are usually held in March or April. Singers also take part in a relatively new outreach program with the City of New York. In this program, artists are sent into a school to present a scene or aria to students, along with the background of a particular opera, as part of those students’ preparation for attending a main stage production. YADP artists are often asked to appear at outside events held by patrons.
But what about performing on the Met stage? “Young artists are not guaranteed AGMA contracts as part of YADP,” said Powers, “but the majority do receive cover/performance opportunities.” The more advanced the artist, the better the chance he or she may receive a comprimario role, and occasionally (usually in the last year of the program), a leading or supporting role. Dawn Upshaw made her Met debut as Countess Ceprano, and Dwayne Croft’s debut role was Fiorello in Barbiere.
“There are many opportunities to sing for any and every company that comes into town.” said tenor John Osborn, a member of the YADP program from 1994_1997. “During the months of November and December, there are many auditions. You have great opportunities to sing for a lot of important people, but also to get performance experience as well. Every audition is a performance, whether as a singer or as a colleague.”
However, the Met does not arrange for singers to audition for management. Career advice is always freely given from members of the YADP staff and, according to Powers, “(The staff is) extremely knowledgeable about the many agents and managers available.” Osborn adds, “In a way, the Met acts as management until singers get management”–at least in terms of auditions for companies which usually hear only managed singers.
What if the young artist is offered a role while in YADP? If the artist is under an AGMA contract with the Met, in addition to being in the program, they will not be granted leave to perform elsewhere. If the artist is not under an AGMA contract with the Met, the offer must come to the YADP staff for review. Criteria for unacceptability would include the role being too advanced for the singer, not of the correct Fach, or the company not being of a caliber that YADP considers worthy of a YADP artist.
YADP offers a compensation package comparable to many entry-level positions: An annual base salary of $27,000 (considered a grant), all lessons/coachings included, health insurance, and vacation time (there is no formalized period, but artists may request releases, usually in accordance with the company schedule). In addition, if hired under an AGMA contract, they are provided with extra compensation, for a total ceiling of $49,000. Artists are encouraged to attend operas from the company box, particularly if they are working on roles from the opera. In addition, any outside gigs (patron events and the like) are paid extra, and are not subject to the AGMA cap, since they fall into the category of private engagements.
“Of the 270 principal artists who performed in the Met’s 1998_1999 season,” Powers said, “30 percent are current or former members of the program. YADP artists are frequent performers in the AA houses of the United States and Europe.”
The Met invests a great deal in its young artists–in their training, in the opportunities offered them, and in the fact that for the rest of their professional lives, these artists will list their early affiliation with the Met in their bios.
