I Hope I Get It

by Cheryl Warfield
Wed, 19 Dec 2007 at 1:13 PM

Send

RSS

Today, I auditioned to sing with the Metropolitan Opera's extra chorus. This audition has become something of an annual tradition for me; it's the second time I've auditioned for Maestro Donald Palumbo, the Met's chorus master, in more than a decade of extra chorus auditions. I arrived a little before 11 a.m, about a half hour before my scheduled audition time, and it's a good thing I did. The fact that I have a time slot is not a small thing: Auditions are at a premium. Many singers must wait in line to be placed on the open call list. In fact, some hopefuls are turned away because there are usually more singers who wish to audition than time permits. Anyone on the current roster in the extra chorus is guaranteed an audition slot. Which can be tricky: If the Met presents several operas with large extra choruses, the number of choristers may exceed the number of openings for the next season. That's what made this audition so competitive. The tension was palpable when I arrived at the waiting area, lined with seats for singers. Steve Losito, the assistant to the chorus manager, was standing outside the audition entrance, handsomely suited and expertly organized for the long day's events. He gestured me to approach. While a tenor was auditioning, he quietly informed me that everything was on schedule and that perhaps I would sing earlier than my 11:26 appointment slot — if the mezzo scheduled to sing before me did not arrive on time. Indeed the mezzo was late, so I sang early. I walked into List Hall, the rehearsal room for the Met chorus, where I was greeted by the chorus master, chorus manager, union representatives, and others. For this year's audition, I chose to sing "Und op die Wolke" from the German opera Der Freischütz. Usually I sing in Italian; I have a big voice that is great for Verdi and Puccini. But I wanted a change from what I sang at last year's audition — "Pace, mio dio" from La Forza del Destino — and "Und op die Wolke" is a work of similar level of difficulty. The aria lasts less than three minutes, and when it was done, I thanked everyone and headed home. I'll have to wait more than three months for the results, but I'm ever hopeful. This audition reminded me of my first at the Met — which was back in the 1990s. I'll share some of that experience with you in my next post. Until then, ciao.

Songs & Numbers Homepage