Opera DEI




Welcome to

Opera DEI

a new program at West Bay Opera

that offers coaching on

role preparation and audition technique

for minority singers.


Our goal is to help to increase diversity on the opera stage by providing training, insights into casting and connections and referrals.


This program is geared to advanced young singers, committed to pursuing a professional career in opera.


Scroll down for more information.








Pictured: L to R: Olga Chernisheva as Cio Cio San and Kristen Choi as Suzuki in WBO's Madama Butterfly - 2016

Opera DEI

at WBO


Opera DEI is a new West Bay Opera initiative to help minority singers with role preparation, audition strategies and career development.


Opera DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)

offers a series of FREE online, private coaching sessions for vocal artists. These sessions focus on improving the young artists' chances of getting cast by learning to address repertoire from the perspective of conductors, directors and impresarios. Opera DEI was created to serve young singers from minority communities who may not have access to postgraduate professional training opportunities.

 

The goal of the Opera DEI sessions is to offer professional guidance to talented young performers, and to develop relationships with artists who may be cast in future West Bay Opera productions. Opera DEI will also provide career guidance and, as appropriate, help facilitate additional connections with other professionals in the field.

 

·      Participants will be guided through the complex process of preparing an opera role at the professional level. The sessions will be immersive, integrating the musical, linguistic and dramatic elements of performance.

·      Opera DEI will work with four singers per training cycle. During the 6-week training cycle, each participant  will receive a weekly coaching.


Opera DEI will provide a thorough and detailed evaluation of each participant, identifying the artist’s strengths, as well as areas requiring improvement. Opera DEI instructors will also make suggestions regarding repertoire and provide advice on the business aspects of opera as an international career.


An important objective of Opera DEI is to enable a continuing relationship with and among artists following their participation in these training sessions, to facilitate information about casting opportunities and serve as an ongoing source of career support and encouragement.


The first cycle will begin in August 2021.



Pictured: L to  R: Jesús León as Rodolfo and Karen Slack as Violetta in WBO's La traviata - 2009


Application guidelines and requirements:


  1. Auditions to select candidates for the program will be by video. Singers may record their auditions with a live pianist or with a pre-recorded accompaniment. Either way, excellent sound quality is a must. See our recording equipment suggestions below.
  2. Audition selections for Opera DEI should be from a specific role in which the applicant could reasonably expect to be cast in the near future. Ideally, applicants will choose a role with which they have some experience, for example, an aria from Don Giovanni as well as some complete scenes from that opera that they learned in school. 
  3. The video audition should include two contrasting arias with at least one in a foreign language.
  4. Applicants are required to fill out the application form below.  No attachments are allowed. Videos must be available through URLs at YouTube or Vimeo and must be unlocked (i.e., not marked as private), though they may be unlisted.
  5. We are looking to work with singers who already have at least an American undergraduate degree or equivalent training but are not yet consistently working professionally. Singers must be advanced enough to be able to learn an entire opera role in a foreign language.

 



Pictured: Kenneithia Mitchell as Cio Cio San in WBO's Madama Butterfly - 2009

Application Form A/V Equipment Suggestions Faculty
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