Give Me Some Men

September 22, 2007 - So today as I was processing a few more audition applications, I was struck once again by the seeming dearth of men involved in the opera business. I had really hoped that our 2008-2009 season would get men to send in their materials for auditions because the repertoire for that season has a lot of good roles for men. Here's just a quick summary.

Don Giovanni - 1 tenor, 3 baritones or bass-baritones, 1 bass
Albert Herring - 1 boy soprano, 2 tenors, 3 baritones
Coronation of Poppea - 1 or 2 countertenors depending on whether Nero is cast as a countertenor or mezzo-soprano, 1 haut-contre, 2 tenors, 1 bass

That's a lot of opportunities for male voices. And given the fact that men always make up a smaller percentage of any vocal population than say, sopranos, chances are good that a good audition for Opera Vivente would result in some kind of employment. But, day in day out, I open audition packets for sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, contraltos, etc. What gives, men? Do you think that I should have to somehow intuit that you exist? I'm sorry, but no company, but particularly a small company with limited staffing resources wants to have to beat bushes to get people to audition for them. So please, if you are a male singer interested in pursuing an operatic career, send in your materials.

Thanks. John Bowen