What kind of first impression will you convey at your next audition?
You have completed your graduate degree in performance from a prestigious music conservatory. You have the absolute perfect audition arias for your Fach. You consistently nail the high notes in your auditions. You burst into the room each time exuding confidence and have a ready smile. You have even, for the most part, conquered your performance anxiety. Yet the best jobs are somehow eluding you.
Could it be because of your drab, unflattering, and ill-fitting audition attire? Are you really putting your best foot forward in making a positive first impression? Can your audition attire truly impact the outcome of an audition at the emerging professional level?
I surveyed hiring agents and artistic directors to get feedback directly from the source. Read what they have to say about your audition attire.
General Observations
Many artistic directors do take into account how a singer is dressed during an audition. In fact, artistic directors are often visual by nature and they remember singers by what they are wearing. As one director revealed, “My initial impression is always visual, so a singer who obviously has not taken much care with his or her outfit has to work that much harder to make a good impression.”
Ray Evans Harrell, artistic director of the Magic Circle Opera Repertory Ensemble of New York, summed it up by declaring, “People who dress undramatically are uncomfortable taking direction. Clothing should be attractive but comfortable. What if I ask them to fall on the floor?”
Singers who gravitate towards dark, monochromatic colors might also be at a disadvantage. Ann Baltz, artistic director of OperaWorks, states, “Many, many women wear a ‘little black dress’ to their audition, which is fine—except that it is more difficult to remember them if there is no distinguishing visual feature to help us. An interesting piece of jewelry or a dress with color accents can be helpful.”
A direct contradiction to Baltz’s suggestion comes from John Baril, music director of Central City Opera. In regard to appropriate colors and patterns for audition attire, he suggests, “Dark, simple, plain. Anything else causes distraction, I find.”
A concern many artistic directors and hiring agents revealed was that singers must consider the type of audition they are participating in. As the trend of crossover singing becomes a more common and accepted practice, opera and musical theatre singers need to carefully consider their attire when crossing genres.
What guidelines, then, do you follow? The answer is best summarized in an anecdote shared by Victoria Kirsch, a Los Angeles-based coach-pianist who frequently hires singers for engagements. She played for the Los Angeles auditions for Baz Luhrmann’s Broadway Bohème, and she found the differences in dress between the “opera singers” and “Broadway singers” was striking. Classically trained singers dressed conservatively, while the musical theatre auditioners were dressed casually, some even in denim and leather.
Her take on the situation? “Given the theatrical nature of the production, the opera singers should have done their research and dressed more theatrically.” However, she added, “The boundaries are ever shifting, but good singing is good singing!”
Proper Attire for Females
Many directors raise the issue of singers wearing clothing that was too tight or overly revealing. Skirts that are way above the knee, strapless or spaghetti strap tops, and plunging necklines all distract from the main event: your voice.
As Kim Pensinger Witman, director of Wolf Trap Opera, elaborates, “You need to feel comfortable and polished in whatever you wear. It should boost confidence and not interfere with your performance. It should be mainstream enough that it does not call undue attention to itself (extremely short skirts) or make some sort of radical comment on the rules of the game (jeans or shorts).”
This becomes even more distracting if you do not dress according to your body type. Many industry experts suggest trying on your audition dress several days before an audition in order to ensure that it still fits. Our weight often fluctuates by several pounds, and if your audition attire is too tight or too loose, it can look sloppy on stage, thereby giving a negative initial first impression.
Are nylons an issue? Surprisingly, artistic directors and hiring agents were nearly split down the middle in regard to female singers wearing nylons for an audition. Just less than half, at 42 percent, believed that women should continue to wear nylons, yet 50 percent suspected that it was not always necessary. Opera Delaware’s General and Artistic Director Leland P. Kimball suggests that nylons “are not necessary, but avoid high hemlines.”
I asked the question, “Is it acceptable for female singers to wear sleeveless or spaghetti strap dresses for auditions?” The responses were divided: 50 percent of those surveyed believed that yes, sleeveless or spaghetti strap dresses would be acceptable, 17 percent polled declared “no,” and 33 percent disclosed that it was dependent upon the situation.
Women should wear an “attractive dress or blouse and skirt which is figure appropriate. The singer should not look ‘stuffed into’ or outlandish. Good taste always reflects well on the individual, but that is very subjective,” says Albert Bergeret, artistic director and general manager of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players.
Pamela Ashmore, a keyboard collaborative artist and vocal coach in the Northwest Ohio region, adds, “If a sleeveless or spaghetti strap dress is tasteful, then yes, I think it is acceptable. If the style is not correct for the body type, however, it sends a different message.”
And how do directors feel about females wearing pants in an audition? 92 percent of directors and agents thought it was acceptable if the singer was auditioning specifically for a pants role, although most preferred a pantsuit rather than pants and a top. Interestingly, several respondents noted that they had auditioned numerous highly talented mezzos for pants roles who were equally convincing through body language and movement despite the fact that they were wearing a feminine dress. On the flip side, one director remarked, “To hear ‘Voi che sapete’ in a cocktail dress with sparkly jewelry and feminine gestures does not really communicate ‘pants role’ to me.”
Proper Attire for Males
Do men still need to wear a jacket and tie? According to the majority of those surveyed, it depends. For the question “Should men always wear a tie?” respondents were evenly split, with 33 percent stating “yes,” 33 percent stating “no,” and another 33 percent revealing that it depended upon the situation. One male artistic director passionately countered, “Ridiculous! I don’t even own a tie.”
However, the general consensus was that even though a jacket and tie were not always necessary, they were preferred. Of those surveyed, 50 percent responded that although wearing a jacket was not essential, it looked more professional.
As in comments for female attire, most respondents pronounced that men should wear well tailored and well fitting clothing, commenting that men’s attire should flatter the singer’s body type. If a singer’s physique is an asset, then a jacket might not be needed. As one director observed, however, “If a male singer just forgot his tie and he look unfinished, that’s not a particularly good message.”
The Bottom Line: What Should You Wear?
No two voice teachers or artistic directors are going to have the exact same standards. So where does this leave the confused, perhaps poorly dressed singer? Again, ask for guidance and suggestions from those you trust.
I loved the insight Ann Baltz shared about her emerging style: “I did not grow up with any sense of style, but over the years I have asked friends with a great visual sense to help me develop one. It takes time and courage to experiment with what colors go together, how to balance an outfit, how to accessorize, and what clothes make me feel good. There is a sense of confidence that comes with knowing that one looks good—and in an audition, that could make a big difference!”
Larry Desrochers, general director and CEO of Manitoba Opera, reinforced this notion when he divulged, “I am likely in the minority on this subject as I do not care what a singer wears to an audition. I’m there to audition the person and not the clothes. My advice to singers is that they should wear clothes in which they feel comfortable and relaxed. They should seek advice from someone they trust with regard to the type of clothing that makes them look their best.”
If you are at a loss about whom to seek advice from, you might consider using personal shoppers at department stores like Macy’s or Nordstrom’s. These are often free services, and you can discover an amazing amount of information in terms of what colors and silhouettes work best for you. And always give consideration to the venue you will be auditioning in. If it is in a large performance hall, what looks good close up might not convey the same message from far away.
My second suggestion is best summarized through revealing the results from the following two survey questions: “Has a poorly dressed singer adversely impacted your decision about the audition outcome?” and “Has a well dressed singer positively impacted your decision about the audition outcome?” This time, I would hope that the answers would not surprise you.
For the first question, 75 percent of directors admitted that a poorly dressed singer could directly impact their decision. An inappropriately dressed singer often conveyed a negative first impression, thereby making it more difficult for a singer to change that perception. They had to sing incredibly well to alter the effect of being uncaring or unprepared. As one general manager admitted, “I audition the whole person, not just the voice. Even our audition coordinators, who don’t sit in on the actual auditions, bring judgments to the casting process.”
On the other hand, a well dressed singer can imperceptibly change the outcome of an audition. Of those surveyed, 42 percent revealed that a smartly dressed singer positively impacted their decision, with 33 percent stating that “Even though the voice always comes first, appearance always helped the impression left behind.” As stated by Amy Johnson, internationally acclaimed soprano, university professor, and co-founder/director of the Professional Advantage, “We have never hired someone because they were well dressed, but it does reflect on professional integrity and serious mindedness.”
So what kind of first impression will you convey at your next audition? Hopefully, a polished, nicely put-together ensemble that reveals something about your self-image and confident personality.
The full article Reformer Pilates and Singing appeared in Classical Singer magazine.
