David Walker in Action: Some Video Clips

February 9, 2008 - For those of you who have never experienced a countertenor's artistry, I've dug up some video clips of David Walker performing Handel, the usual repertoire for countertenors but by no means David's only repertoire. He is unique among countertenors for the large amount of contemporary work that he does. If I find some video of him doing Dove's Flight or Petitgirard's Elephant Man, I'll post those as well. In the meantime, enjoy.

As Ottone in Agrippina with Virginia Opera and as Goffredo in Rinaldo from the Prinzregententheater in Munich.

Tickets are selling fast. Don't miss your chance to see this wonderful artist in his Baltimore debut. See you at the opera. - John Bowen

Audition Rep Redux

November 30, 2007 - Okay, so I've gotten some responses to my audition post-mortem post, particularly my frustration at singers offering arias that are somewhat irrelevant to the repertoire we are casting. I must say it was quite illuminating to find out that just publishing the repertoire for the season is not sufficient. Evidently singers want to be told that I want to hear prospective Donna Elviras sing "Mi tradi", prospective Octavias sing "Addio, Roma", prospective Nancys sing "What would Missus Herring say". Well, besides being a bit too wordy and cumbersome for the average audition listing, I have to say that prior to receiving these comments, I would have thought that such a spoon-feeding would have seemed patronizing to most singers. Isn't it self-evident that the best way to show that you are appropriate for certain roles is to sing a part of those roles? I guess not. So, in future we will be even more specific about what we want to hear. Hopefully that will save frustration on both sides of the audition table. - John Bowen

Audition Post-Mortem

November 18, 2007 - Well, my friends, yesterday and Friday I spent a combined 14.5 hours listening to singers who wished to be considered for our 2008-09 season. While we (I was joined by JoAnn Kulesza - conductor for Albert Herring, as well as Ron Gretz and Braxton Peters from Annapolis Opera) heard some very fine new singers, there were some trends that were so prevalent and so worrisome that I feel compelled to blog about them in the hopes that maybe some singers will read this post and mend their ways. I won't be so ungallant as to name names, but I am categorizing the issues for clarity's sake.

1) No-Shows - To those singers who simply did not show up for their audition times and also did not have the courtesy or professionalism to call or email to cancel, please be advised that your names will be kept on file as people who will not be granted an audition in the future. This may seem harsh to you, but the fact that you didn't have the common decency to inform us that you would not be showing up already tells me what kind of artist you are, thereby making an audition superfluous.

2) Last-minute Cancellations - To those of you who cancelled less than 24 hours before your appointed time (and in some cases, less than 1 hour before), while I appreciate the fact that you did inform us that you would not be coming, a little more notice would have allowed us to contact one of the singers on the waiting list to see if they would be interested in taking your time. Rather difficult to do with virtually no advance warning.

3) Baffling choice of audition rep - Opera Vivente posted that we were casting for the following shows: Don Giovanni, Albert Herring, and The Coronation of Poppea. It is therefore astonishing to me that many, many singers showed up for their audition with no arias from any of these shows, and indeed, in some cases, no arias even by these composers. Your ability to sing "Quando m'en vo" in no way shows me whether you can sing Donna Anna or Miss Wordsworth or Drusilla. This trend became even more baffling when we encountered singers who had actually done some of the roles that they were auditioning for and yet still didn't bring any of the arias from that role. If you've done Nancy in Albert Herring, and you'd like us to consider you for Nancy in our production, why on earth wouldn't you bring "What would Missus Herring say"? It simple doesn't make sense. If there is someone out there advising singers to not bring arias from the roles for which they are auditioning, please cease and desist. If you want to sing Donna Elvira, you better darn sight be prepared to sing either "Mi tradi" or "Ah, fuggi traditor" at the audition.

4) Out of tune singing - This is something that I've been noticing with increasing alarm over the past few years. However, what was originally an isolated problem has grown to epidemic proportions. When a singer singing in tune is actually attention getting rather than being a given then it is time to say something. More often than not this comes from singers trying to sing repertoire that demands more than their voice can give. Please, please audition for roles that are appropriate for your voice.

Okay, I'll step down off the soapbox now. My hope is that singers will read this and at least take what I've said under advisement. The next post will be about something of more general interest, but this needed to be said.

See you at the opera! - John Bowen

Why I'm Excited about Opera Vivente

September 11, 2007 - Today, while listening to me wax poetic about OV, someone asked me why I was so excited about OV in general, and in particular about our 10th season. I must say, the question completely threw me for a loop. Not because I don't think that OV is worthy of excitement, but because I couldn't imagine why someone wouldn't be excited about OV. So I thought about it and here, in no particular order, are the many things that excite me about OV.

First of all, and maybe most irrationally, I'm excited about OV because it's my love child, born out of the union of my absolute love for this music and my distaste for the reputation that opera has come to have with many people in the modern era. Contrary to popular opinion (and the sort of behind closed doors discussions heard at many companies), opera is not, and was never intended to be, proper, stuffy, elitist, obscure, boring, stupid or what have you. Opera has from the beginning set out to be entertaining, moving, relevant and revelatory, cathartic, and universal. OV has at its core the mission of returning those qualities to the genre and like any proud parent I love OV wildly, profligately, and unconditionally. I love it and am proud of it because it's reached 10 years in an environment that is hardly kind to the arts. But there are other things that excite me.

I'm excited about OV because an agnostic audience member who saw our very first production (Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia) told me that her concept of redemption had been irrevocably changed by the experience.

I'm excited about OV because of the 8 year old, who after having sat riveted through a 3+ hour production of a Mozart rarity called La finta giardiniera, decided to do a diorama of the second act for his school project and has sought every opportunity to see opera since that time.

I'm excited about OV because of the many singers who tell me that the experience of doing a role in their own language and in such an intimate space has changed and deepened their concept of that role forever.

I'm excited about OV because of Nick Pazdalski, a 14 year old singer who performed the role of Miles in our production of The Turn of the Screw and then presented me with a $50 donation (which represented a number of months' allowance) as a thank you for the opportunity.

I'm excited about OV because of the dozens and dozens of first-time operagoers who come up to me after the performance and say "Wow! I had no idea that this is what opera was like".

I'm excited about OV because of the audience member who wrote me a letter telling me that our production of Tamburlaine (an opera written almost 300 years ago) had made him seriously think about the morality of America's presence in Iraq.

I'm excited about OV because of the ever-growing number of supporters who tell me that they give because they know how much their money directly impacts what they see on stage, and that they want to make sure that this unique type of performance continues.

The list goes on, but I don't want this blog post to turn into some kind of country-western anthem. So, let me just say a few words about why I'm particularly excited about our 10th season.

Our season opens with a sublime Handelian masterpiece. Alcina is a brilliant examination of the nature of reality, the all too often tension between outward image and inner intention, all set to music of such profound beauty as to almost defy description. We've lined up an amazing cast featuring the return of several of our audience favorites (Ah Hong, Zachary Stains, Monica Reinagel - all of whom regularly perform with companies throughout the United States and Europe) as well as significant company debuts (Colleen Daly in the title role). Add to that the OV signature updating (this time to the hallucinogenic 1960s) that has proven so popular with our previous Handel operas (Agrippina in the 1980s a la Dynasty and Tamburlaine in present day Iraq), and I feel confident that we have an opening show worthy of the occasion.

We then proceed to a truly history-making production with the North America premier of Jonathan Dove's church opera, Tobias and the Angel. Dove is one of the leading contemporary composers of opera, whose works have been performed at Glyndebourne, Covent Garden, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Almeida Music Festival, and Boston Lyric Opera to name just a few. This incandescently beautiful, spiritually probing work is further illuminated by the presence of world-renowned countertenor David Walker in the role of the Angel, providing a chance for Baltimore audiences to hear one of the truly great vocal artists of our time. The setting for this production is the exquisite and historically significant Nave of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, which features Tiffany and Lafarge stained-glass windows, wood-carving by Kirchmeyer, and a baptismal font by William Chester French. Truly a once in a lifetime cultural experience, and I'm excited that OV is the catalyst for bringing this to Baltimore.

And, just to show that we haven't lost sight of the aspect of opera as pure, unadulterated, and not necessarily edifying entertainment, we're closing our 10th season with Jacques Offenbach's hilarious romp through the foibles of image vs. desire Orpheus in the Underworld. I've often said when defending opera that opera was not only the TV of the 19th century but the FOXTV of the 19th century. And to bring that point home, our production is going to rampage through all the imagery currently flickering on millions of screens across America: celebreality TV (e.g. I Love New York, The Simple Life), soft-core titillation TV (e.g. The Girls Next Store, Girls Gone Wild - though for Orpheus perhaps Gods Gone Wild is more appropriate) and televangelism (come on, nobody needs examples of that) are all going to be there, so if you're just looking for an evening of hysterical, mindless entertainment but you're tired of always clicking the remote, you won't be disappointed with this one.

So there's a few reasons why I'm excited about OV. Hopefully they've excited you a little bit too. If they have, or even if they haven't, let me know. Send me a comment about the blog. It will certainly make it more enjoyable to write knowing what you're all thinking and wondering about, and hopefully that will ultimately make it even more interesting (and dare I say, exciting) to read. And having said that, I think I'm going to go watch some mindless TV. Hey! It's research for Orpheus!

Thanks for reading and - See you at the opera!

John Bowen

Some Thoughts on the Business of Singing

August 31, 2007 - Since Opera Vivente published its audition dates a few weeks ago, I've been processing audition packets pretty much on a daily basis. The beginning of autumn (yes, I'm afraid we all have to face that summer is on the wane now) also always means a ramping up of my vocal coaching duties as singers seek to prepare and polish their "package" for the onslaught of "audition season". So, in addition to slogging through the last musical numbers of the Orpheus translation (see last post for an in-depth discussion of the joys of translation), I've been thinkin alot about the business (perhaps some would say art) of auditioning, self-marketing, and generally getting hired that is, in short, the business of singing professionally. And it occurred to me that whatever insights I've gained into this process over the past 10 or so years of being a general director might be of interest to singers and non-singers alike. So, here goes.

The Audition Listing - for better or worse this is generally the first step in the process which every singer hopes will lead to them performing a role on opening night. OV, much like other companies, will post its audition information in various sources known to be frequented by singers. OV personally uses our own website, Classical Singer (both website and magazine), the Peabody Placement Bulletin, and new this year YAP Tracker (that's Young Artist Program not a slang for someone's mouth as in "Shut your yap!") and Opera Source (sponsored by Opera America). We strive to give as much information as possible in this listing, but after many years of doing this, I'm convinced that many singers cause themselves (and the companies) a lot of unecessary trouble by not reading the listing carefully enough. So, suggestion number one: read the listings carefully before you start throwing together the things that you think we need. Send all the materials requested together. Many companies will simply trash what is in essence an "incomplete application". Also, make note of where the audition is being held. Many singers assume that all auditions happen in New York, but increasingly companies are having auditions in their own city. OV is an example of this. We only audition in Baltimore. We're happy to hear out of town singers (and regularly do hear and cast out of towners) but they have to come to us for the audition. Location is important because you might decide that traveling to an audition may be prohibitively expensive or more importantly, not worth it to you personally simply for the possibility of being cast. Which leads me to some of my next points.

Repertoire - many companies publish the repertoire for which they are hearing singers. Before applying willy-nilly for an audition, make sure that 1) there is a role appropriate for your voice in the opera(s) that are being cast and that 2) you are at generally the same level of accomplishment and experience as those singers that the company has cast in the past in comparable roles. I remember a number of seasons ago when we did Puccini's Le villi. Now Le villi only has three roles: soprano, tenor, baritone. Be that as it may, I had applications from numerous mezzos saying how interested they would be in singing in Le villi. In addition to being an impossibility, the other unfortunate by-product of this is that I began to wonder about all other facets of this singer. In what other ways would they be caught having "not done their homework" so to speak. The second item is illustrated by the number of young singers with very little or in some cases no stage experience who come to audition and refuse anything except a major role. While OV is certainly not the Met or Chicago Lyric, a quick Google search of the singers who have done big roles for us over the past several seasons will quickly reveal that they all have considerable experience with other companies. The other aspect of this issues is one which many singers don't want to accept but which is in fact a reality. It is often referred to as "paying your dues". I prefer to look at it as "risk management" on the part of the small to mid-sized company. We don't have the luxury of cover contracts or pulling in a last minute replacement so generally we are at first inclined to offer a singer a smaller role in order to see what they are really like. The exceptions to this are 1) the singer is truly extraordinary or a very unusual voice type or 2) they have plenty of companies on their resume that we can call for additional information and references. And speaking of resumes:

The Resume (and to a lesser extent, The Headshot) - I continue to be astonished at the sorry state of many singers' resumes. This document is often the only thing that a company initially has by which to judge you and yet they are often littered with typos, inaccuracies, and, to be charitable, "half-truths". So singers, spend time on your resumes. Make sure that they are updated regularly, because nothing causes more errors than a hastily "revised" resume. Make sure that you run them by several knowledgeable people. By knowledgeable I mean individuals who are familiar with the spelling, punctuation, and capitalization rules for opera titles, character names, and composer's names. Also, make sure that what is on the resume is really the truth. Now the obvious example here is saying that you've done a role that you haven't or worked for a company that you haven't worked for. But there are more subtle "half-truths". I find that they particularly occur in that category that's referred to as "masterclasses" or "other study" or some such title. This is where we often see very famous names appear. Now, if you in fact have had numerous coachings with Marilyn Horne or Leontyne Price, that's great. If I can call up Marilyn Horne and ask her to give me her assessment of your abilities and career potential, even better. But if there's no way that Marilyn Horne or whoever is going to know your name because your only contact was that you sang one aria 10 years ago for a masterclass that she did at your university, then don't put her on the resume. Same with the category of "directors". If you were in the chorus of Il trovatore under the direction of Frank Corsaro 15 years ago, I'm sorry, but you have not "worked with Frank Corsaro", at least not in any way that is meaningful for someone trying to assess your casting pontential. Often, simply thinking about the purpose of a resume will sort these questions out for you. It's really about giving a full and ACCURATE accounting of meaningful artistic training and experience. A word about headshots also: if your friends, family, and co-workers can no longer recognize you in the picture, it's time for a new one.

Application Fees - this divides many people at all levels and so I don't expect to achieve consensus here but for what it's worth here's my advice. If the application fee is roughly equivalent to what it would cost you to hire a pianist to play your audition and the company is providing an accompanist, go for it. You're none the poorer. If the company is not providing an accompanist but the fee is still comparable, I'd still say go for it because the company is probably using your fee to offset any administrative costs that they incur processing your application. If the fee is considerably higher, then beware. It could be that the company is just using auditions as an unofficial "fundraising" activity.

Last point:
The Audition - once you've gotten past the first hurdle and received an audition date and time please be prepared in the following ways:
1) Be comfortable with starting with any of the arias on your repertoire list because you don't always get to choose what your going to sing.
2) Have arias listed on your repertoire list that are pertinent to the repertoire that's being cast. Even if you don't have an aria that is from the same show, you should certainly have something that speaks to the vocal demands of that show. Don't audition for a baroque season with nothing but Puccini. Don't audition for a heavily 19th century season with a lot of Mozart and Handel. If the company also specifies certain obligatory aspects, adhere to them. OV is an all English language company. We therefore need to hear you sing something in English, even if it's a translation.
3) Make sure that all your music is accurately and clearly marked for the accompanist. It's disconcerting when you cut and they don't or vice versa.
4) Make sure that everything on your list is completely polished and comfortable for you. Don't learn an aria at the last minute simply because you want to have something from the show. That doesn't do anyone any favors.

Okay, well that's enough labor for the eve of the Labor Day Weekend. Have a safe and happy one. And then brace yourself for the beginning of THE SEASON! (cue dramatic music). See you at the opera!

John Bowen

The Inaugural Posting of Opera Vivente's Blog

Hello Opera Aficionados, Opera Virgins, those of you who are Opera Curious, and yes, even you poor misguided souls who would identify yourselves as Opera Haters. Welcome to the inaugural posting of the Opera Vivente Blog. When I was originally contemplating starting this blog, I had thought that I would start by giving a brief history of Opera Vivente. However, upon further consideration, I think new technology should be used to talk about new things. So the brief history is going into an expanded History Page on our website and the blog is going to be used to keep those of you who are interested abreast of what's going on right now at Opera Vivente. So let's dive right in. Oh, by the way, I'm John Bowen, the General Director of Opera Vivente.

At this point, our 2007-2008 season has been completely cast. Indeed casting was completed in early April. As is usually the case, however, the various and sundry pressures of life that affect us all also affect singers causing all sorts of changes in their personal lives, their professional lives, and their finances. Consequently, this time of year invariably finds me looking for replacements of singers who for one reason or another have had to withdrawal from one of our upcoming productions. The first week of July was occupied with two such recastings. I am pleased to say that I have succeeded in finding replacements and am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be the end of cast changes. Hope springs eternal, eh?

This week, I have been busy assembling the props, furniture, and costumes necessary for our upcoming production of Leonard Bernstein's jazz-infused short opera Trouble in Tahiti. Opera Vivente will be performing this short 20th century masterpiece at Baltimore's annual arts festival, Artscape. It's a rather sarcastic look at the American Dream through the eyes of a 1950s couple who are having trouble in their marriage. Since the budget from the city is, shall we say, modest, I'm totally thrilled that I've been able to find most of the requisite items for cheap or, even better, for free. However, I have to say, prop shopping continues to be one of my least favorite tasks. It's time consuming, and often involves days of driving from thrift store to thrift store in search of things like a vintage toaster, a psychiatrist's couch, a locker room bench, or a tiki cup (to name just a few of the items that I've recently been on the prowl for). Ah, how I dream of someday having the budget to hire a full-time props master or mistress! But I digress. Trouble in Tahiti is now basically totally planned and shopped for and ready for rehearsals next week. Since our rehearsal space is not air-conditioned, all I need to do now is pray to the weather gods for less sauna-like conditions.

Anyway, in addition to rehearsals for Trouble in Tahiti next week, I'll also be meeting with the design team for the show which opens our 2007-2008 season in October: George Frideric Handel's decadent baroque masterpiece, Alcina. This fantastic piece deals with the tension between a pleasure-driven utopian society that hides a violent, selfish underbelly and a harsh, duty-bound "reality". Consequently, I've chosen to set this 18th century opera in the psychodelic 1960s. I've met with the lighting designer, the costume designer, and set designer individually to give them my take on the piece. They've now all gone off and done research, sketches, etc. Next Wednesday, we all come back together for what I'm sure will be a very exciting brainstorming session by the end of which all the pieces have to add up to a coherent whole. Unlike prop shopping, these design meetings are one of the great joys of my life. The energy sparked by putting a group of creative people in a room together is incredible and almost always ends up with each of us expanding our perceptions beyond what we had imagined individually. This will probably be particularly the case working on an opera being set in a decade which was highly focused on mind-altering experiences.

In my spare time (he said with tongue slightly inserted in cheek), I'm also stage directing a scenes program for a new organization called The Little Patuxent Opera Institute, which is performing at Howard Community College at the end of July. Tonight will be the first staging rehearsal and I'm anxious to see how all these talented operatic newbies that I auditioned back in June with the voice faculty of HCC have risen to the challenge of the scenes we've given them. Although I mostly work with professional singers, I always find working with amateurs or beginners highly rewarding. Everything is new and exciting to them and their learning curve is often a wonder to behold. No jaded cynics or haughty divas in this crowd!

Well that's it for now. I'm off to rehearsal. But look for more behind the scenes info in the coming days. And if you have any questions about anything or would like to hear about anything in particular, let me know.

See you at the opera! - John Bowen