When it comes to summer programs for opera singers, one of the gems of the Midwest is the Memphis Opera and Song Academy (MOSA), founded and directed by Susan Owen-Leinert (professor at the University of Memphis and international dramatic soprano) and Michael Leinert (German general manager and artistic director).
I was teaching at a small liberal arts college in Illinois when a flyer came across my desk. I had been looking for a summer program, and this one caught my attention. What intrigued me most was that the directors of the program were genuine, experienced performers and directors of European opera stages (including Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Kassel, Hamburg, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Bologna, Trieste, and Vienna). In addition, the program promised practical information to help singers navigate the chaos of pursuing an international performing career on their own. I called for an audition and got the last one available.
The audition process was quick and painless. I sang the requested two contrasting pieces (one in German) with the help of MOSA pianist and coach Marcie Richardson. Before singing for the directors, I enjoyed the luxury of rehearsing with Richardson–something that in my experience rarely happens.
Staff members worked at making the singers feel at ease and comfortable with their MOSA experience. The audition culminated with a closed interview with the directors to help them better understand my future goals and purpose in auditioning for MOSA. I soon discovered that not everyone attending the program had aspirations of pursuing an operatic career in Europe. Of the 18 aspiring performers who attended (ages 20 to 40 and over), some came specifically to work with American dramatic soprano Susan Owen-Leinert. Some wanted to try the University of Memphis on for size. Others were there as a stepping-stone in their young, developing careers. All of us were there to learn and explore our own professional possibilities.
Within two weeks of the audition, I had received all of the music I was expected to prepare. It was clear that careful consideration had gone into determining what repertoire each individual should sing. I personally felt very comfortable with my assignments. They were interesting and challenging, ranging in style from Monteverdi to Richard Strauss. It never appeared in print, but the expectation of having the four to five scenes learned and polished was implied. The scenes ranged in variety, from “L’Orfeo” to Die Zauberflöte to Die Walküre to West Side Story. In addition, each participant was expected to prepare Lieder for a special masterclass on song interpretation. We were also encouraged to bring additional repertoire, should we find time for extra coachings. All of this was included for a very reasonable price: a $750 tuition fee for two full weeks of fully staged scenes, coachings, masterclasses, seminars, handouts, a demo CD recording, advice, and direction.
On May 20, within a month of receiving the materials, we all gathered from our diverse corners: Virginia, Texas, New York, Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, and Japan, for starters. Housing was optional and included a comfortable room in a nearby residence hall with private bedrooms and shared bathrooms. Breakfast was included in the price of the room (about $300 for two weeks), but only on weekdays, excluding the Memorial Day holiday. For lunch and dinner we were on our own, and those of us with cars were happy to offer rides to those without transportation. Food options were within walking distance, however, only a couple of blocks from campus.
Daily life at MOSA found all the participants meeting for the menagerie of scene rehearsals in the morning and the afternoon. With the help of Mark Ensley, director of the opera program at the University of Memphis; Dr. Victor Asunción, professor of piano and coordinator of the Collaborative Pianist program at the University of Memphis; and Marcie Richardson, pianist and vocal coach, we were in well-qualified hands. A guest faculty member from Hamburg, Germany joined us on the third day. Maestro Klaus Dieter Jung is a vocal coach and music director of the Chamber Opera in Hamburg. He, along with Susan Owen-Leinert and Michael Leinert, provided the first-hand knowledge I was looking for in a summer opera program.
After a daily break for lunch and dinner, we all gathered again in the evenings for seminars of interesting and useful information on the theater system in Europe, contract negotiation, opera history, current stage practices in Europe, German vocabulary for the stage, audition preparation, and practical advice for living and working in Europe. The days and evenings were so packed with helpful tools and tidbits, it was clear that this summer program represented money well-spent.
To conclude our experience, all participants performed in a free concert of scenes, arias, and Lieder for the opera lovers of Memphis. We performed for a nearly full house at the Harris Concert Hall in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music on the University of Memphis campus. It was a rewarding experience to show the fruits of our labor from the previous two intensive weeks. For me, it felt as if we were a company of singers who had worked together for months, preparing our roles for the big opening night. The performance was a success, and shortly afterward, we learned that MOSA would return for another summer session. (MOSA 2008 is scheduled for May 18-June 1.)
Following the after-concert party and a good night’s sleep, the program ended with one more session of closing comments from the directors. We received certificates for our successful participation and said our goodbyes. As we all went our separate ways, I wondered when our paths might cross again in this all-too-small world of singers, and I pondered who might use the tools we gained over the last two weeks to pursue a career like the one Susan Owen-Leinert has enjoyed.
Fast-forward to Oct. 12, 2007
Here I am, sitting at the kitchen table of a friend’s apartment in what used to be East Berlin. Germany is a beautiful place, and it’s brimming with history, culture, and musical possibilities. After several years of teaching, I’ve made the giant leap to pursue an operatic career. With an open mind and a driven purpose in your heart (plus well-prepared arias, a trunk full of contacts, and a little bit of luck), this experience can be quite thrilling.
Thanks to my notebook of contacts and information from MOSA, I used the summer to correspond with several agencies and opera houses for auditions. Now that I’m here in Germany, my first audition is next week with the Hamburg Chamber Opera. Everyone asks to hear something in German, of course, but also the other standard languages—and don’t forget operetta and musical theatre. It’s quite popular here, and I’ve been asked to share something of lighter fare at nearly every appointment. Armed with my CV, list of repertoire, headshot, CD, and letters of recommendation (including those from the directors of MOSA), I feel confident in my preparation. Now all I need is some experience auditioning for the German system to complete my goal: a contract with a German opera company.
October 17, 2007, Hamburg
For my first audition experience in Germany, I was lucky enough to sing for the Hamburg Kammeroper (Chamber Opera). I arrived by train from Berlin at noon on the day of the audition. (Hamburg is only a two-hour train ride on the intercity express, so it was a comfortable distance without having to arrive the day before, sparing me the expense of lodging.) The opera house was a short walk from the train station, and after a brief warmup and rehearsal with the provided pianist, I was ready to go. The audition was in the house; the owners/managers of the house and MOSA’s music director, Klaus Jung, observed.
I introduced myself in my best German and then sang two selections, “Ach, ich fühl’s” from Die Zauberflöte and “Quando men vo” from La bohème. The listeners seemed receptive to my performance, and afterward, asked me to return for a second audition. Wow! My first German audition experience, and I’m asked for a callback! How exciting!
After a few more days in Berlin, seeing the sights and meeting up with fellow opera singers for advice over coffee or brunch, I head down to Munich for a couple of weeks to pursue audition possibilities in Germany’s southern region. Already, I have auditions lined up with two agencies in Munich. Then I’m off to the western side for auditions in Köln and Düsseldorf. It’s a carefully planned itinerary but not necessarily in any geographical order.
If you find yourself in this position, I highly recommend getting a Eurail pass before you leave the United States, or that you apply for a BahnCard once you arrive in Germany. I did the latter, and for 200 Euros up front, I can get 50 percent off all second-class tickets. With all of the traveling I’ll do, it’s a great deal, plus it’s good for a year, so I figured it was good to be optimistic about my future.
In my experience, the uncharted territory of pursuing a career as an opera singer is loaded with confidence and insecurities, adventure and homesickness, and meticulous planning and flexibility. It cannot be clearly defined. The Memphis Opera and Song Academy was very helpful to me on a practical level. Nothing could ever completely prepare me, however, for this new experience. Yes, countless singers from countless places all over the globe have traveled this path, but it’s brand new to me. Thanks to MOSA, I have many valuable tools to get possibilities rolling.
For more information, see http://operasongacademy.memphis.edu.
