Wolf Trap Opera

We weren’t terribly good about documenting this year’s audition tour, but thanks to CameraMan, we have a few images from our travels. It was a terribly dense trip – due to extenuating schedule and budget parameters – and I think we only (barely) had enough brainpower and energy for the compulsories.

The blog silence in these midwinter months is largely due to the overwhelming task of establishing the summer calendar, choosing the artists, casting the operas, making offers to artistic teams and staff, and figuring out who does what when and how to pay for it. And, until the season is announced (on February 8, 2010!), none of this is bloggable. But I’ll be back in January, and I’ll look up from my desk a bit as we catch up with what’s going on in the rest of the musical world, prepare for the big GRAMMY ceremony trip(!), check in on some of our WTOC alumni, and prepare for the next workshop of the next Musto/Campbell opera.

Till then, warm wishes for restful and joyous holidays with the ones you love – click here for our season’s greetings (make sure your sound is on). I’ll see you in 2010!

This list was culled from the first arias offered by singers auditioning for this year’s Filene Young Artist Program. If you are looking for the comprehensive list of pieces in the 4-aria audition packages from this season, start here.

SOPRANO

You might remember that of the selections listed on the application forms, Pamina’s aria was a run-away hit. Imagine my relief when Ach ich fühl’s was only offered as a starter aria once. (I do love me some Mozart, mind you, but this aria is deceptively difficult.)

The runner-up on the application lists was Anne Trulove; also only offered first by one singer, probably because of the length of the scene.

4X
Caro nome
Deh vieni
Dove sono

3X
Come scoglio
Ernani, involami
Je veux vivre
Padre, germane, addio
Presentation of the Rose
Sul fil d’un soffio etesio
O zittre nicht
Quel guard oil cavaliere
Song to the Moon

TWICE
Ain’t It a Pretty Night
Be Kind and Courteous
Chacun le sait
Depuis le jour
Dich theure Halle
Donde lieta
Du gai soleil
Einsam in trüben Tagen
Emily’s Aria
Manon’s Gavotte
Glitter and Be Gay
Je suis encor
Lisa’s Aria
Martern aller Arten
O luce di quest’anima
O mio babbino caro
O quante volte
Poison Aria
Quando m’en vo
Regnava
Tornami

ONCE
Ach ich fühl’s
Ach ich liebte
Adele’s audition aria
Adieu, notre petite table
Batti batti
Bel raggio lusinghier
Che tua madre
Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
Durch Zärtlichkeit
Ebben
Ecco l’orrido campo
Es gibt ein Reich
Fire Aria
How Beautiful It Is
I Want Magic
Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen
Mariettas Lied
No Word from Tom
Nun eilt herbei

Piangero
Qui la voce / Vien diletto
Scoglio d’immota fronte
Stridonò lassu
Tacea la notte placida
Volate amori

Salt of the earth, these mezzi. Always dependable. The runaway favorite on the application lists also turns up as one of the arias most frequently offered.

5X
Smanie implacabili
Wie du warst

3X
Cruda sorte
Que fais-tu
Va

TWICE
Composer’s Aria
Must the Winter Come So Soon
Una voce poco fa
Voi che sapete

ONCE
Adalgisa’s Prayer
Card Aria
Che farò
Deh per questo istante
Faites-lui
Iris hence away
Lettres (Werther)
Lullaby from The Consul
Lyubasha’s Aria
Mon coeur
O mio Fernando
Oh la pitoyable aventure
Chaun à son goût
Parto
Pauline’s Aria
Seguedilla
Sgombra è la sacra selva
Svegliatevi
Violin aria
What a Movie
Where Shall I Fly

The most-listed aria on applications was Tamino’s, but it was only actually offered twice. I expect the frequency on the application list is due to our requirement for an aria by Mozart, Rossini, or Handel.

3X
Here I Stand
Una furtiva lagrima

2X
De miei bollenti spiriti
Dies Bildnis
Fra poco
Frisch zum Kampfe
Il mio tesoro
New York Lights
Questa o quella

ONCE
Addio fiorito asil
Care pupille
Del destino (from Florenzia)
Ecco ridente
Heaven Helps Those
Il tuo sangue
La fleur
Mein Lieber Schwan
Pourquoi me reveiller
Recondita armonia
Se all’impero
Si, ritrovarla
The Worm
Un aura amorosa
Vedrommi intorno
Wie ein Rosenknospe
Winterstürme

Like their treble sisters, the baritones are more predictable. (Relax guys; it’s not a bad thing.) Count’s Aria took the field here, as it did on the application lists.

Pierrot’s Tanzlied was also fairly popular, but beware, gentlemen; this isn’t as easy to nail as you think it is.

6X
Count’s Aria

5X
Largo al factotum

4X
Lieben, Hassen
Rivolgete
Pierrot’s Tanzlied

3X
Ah per sempre
Mab
Silvio

TWICE
Avant de quitter
Toreador
Within this Frail Crucible

ONCE
A quoi bon l’economie
Aleko’s Aria
Bella siccome un angelo
Come Paride
Come une pale fleur
E fra quest’ansie
Ford’s Monologue
I Am John Proctor
Non piu andrai
Nulla, silenzio
O lêve-toi soleil
O vin
Onegin’s Aria
Onegin’s Act III Arioso
Questo amor
Se vuol ballare
Va, vecchio John
Zazà, piccola zingara

Figaro’s aria edged out Sarastro’s, but it’s a little unscientific to lump bass-baritones and basses together, so don’t draw too many conclusions. I don’t separate them out because the self-labeling of these two voice types is all over the map. (As it has every right to be in a demographic with an average age in the mid-late 20’s.)

4X
Su vuol ballare

3X
O Isis und Osiris
Quand la flame

TWICE
Come dal ciel
Vecchia zimarra

ONCE
Aleko’s Aria
Count’s Aria
Bottom’s Dream
Hear Me O Lord
Ho capito
I miei rampolli
I’m a lonely man, Susannah
Il lacerato spirito
Infelice
La calunnia
Madamina
Non piu andrai
Piff paff
Schweig
Sorge infausta
Tambour major
Vieni, la mia vendetta
Wie schoen ist doch die Musik

Here’s the list of starter arias offered this fall by singers auditioning for the Studio Artist program. (Younger demographic than the Filene Young Artists; average profile is college senior or first-year grad student.)

4X
Du gai soleil

3X
Durch Zärtlichkeit
Padre, germani
Sul fil

TWICE
Come scoglio
Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen
Quando m’en vo
Quel guardo

ONCE
Adele’s Audition Aria
All that Gold
Bel raggio
Chacun le sait
Depuis le jour
Dich theure Halle
Douce enfant
Emily’s Aria from Our Town
I Go To Him
I Have Dreamt
Je dis
Je veux vivre
Marietta
Non mi dir
O luce
O quante volte
Olympia’s Aria
Pamina’s Aria
Piangerò
Quickly, Quickly
(Rachmaninoff song)
Saper vorreste
Se pieta
Somehow I Never Could Believe
(Strauss song)
The Trees on the Mountain
Tu che di gel
Una voce
Willow

4X
Que fais-tu

TWICE
Smanie implacabili
Va

ONCE
Addio sospiri
Air des champetres
All’afflitto
I do not judge you
Iris Hence Away
Must the Winter Come So Soon
My Man’s Gone Now
Non so piu
O ma lyre
Parto
Things Change, Jo
Una donna
Una voce
What a Movie
What a Wonderful Party

TWICE
Ecco ridente
Il mio tesoro

ONCE
Ah mes amis
Albert the Good
Amor ti vieta
Che gelida manina
Ciel e terra
Dies Bildnis
Flower Song
Fuor del mar
Here I Stand
I’ll Sail Upon the Dog Star
Lonely House
Prologue from Turn of the Screw
Quanto e bella
Questa o quella
Una furtiva lagrima
Vainement
Zarzuela aria from Amor vida

TWICE
Papageno’s Suicide Scene

ONCE EACH
Ah per sempre
Avant de quitter
Count’s Aria
Die Ihr schwebet
Donne mie
Ho capito
Honor and Arms
Largo
Lieben, Hassen
Mab
Medaglie incomparabili
Pierrot
Questo amor
Sibillar
Silvio
Simple Song
Warm as the autumn light
When the air sings of summer

TWICE
Il lacerato spirito

ONCE
O Grim-look’d Night
Una voce mal colpito
Madamina

The Aria Frequency Lists for this fall’s audition tour are found in separate blog posts:

Soprano
Mezzo
Tenor
Baritone
Bass & Bass-baritone

These lists represent the frequency with which individual arias were listed in audition packages of singers in that voice type. Next week I’ll compile and post the list of arias offered as first choices in each category.

1. 8,000 miles of safe travel.
2. 1,000 arias that made us laugh and cry.
3. Good health. For even though the last few weeks made me cranky, tired and fat(ter), I stayed healthy.
4. Colleagues who are smart, funny, flexible and forgiving.
5. Family. And mine is the best.

Happy Thanksgiving.

The following list was compiled from the arias listed on audition applications of singers who were heard during this fall’s WTOC audition tour. The number in bold refers to the number of singers in this voice type who listed each aria. (This does not refer to the arias actually heard in auditions; that list will follow in December.)

THE WINNER, AGAIN (31X)
Ach ich fühl’s

RUNNER-UP (15X)
No word from Tom / I go to him

11X
Deh vieni
Je dis que reien ne m’épouvante

10X
Come scoglio
Je veux vivre
Song to the Moon (Rusalka)

9X
Be kind and courteous
Caro nome
Depuis le jour
Oh! quante volte

8X
Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
Du gai soleil
Embroidery aria
Je suis encor
Mir ist die Ehre (Presentation of the Rose)
Quel guardo / So anch’io
Sul fil d’un soffo etesio

7X
Du gai soleil
Durch Zärtlichkeit
Non mi dir
Piangerò
Prendi per me
Regnava nel silenzio
Sì mi chiamano Mimì
Tornami a vagghegiar

6X
Ah je ris (Jewel Song)
Dich teure Halle
Gold is a fine thing (Silver Aria)
Qui la voce

5X
Adieu notre petite table
Dove sono
Glitter and be gay
Gluck das mir verbliebt (Marietta’s Lied)
Padre germani addio
Porgi Amor
Zerbinetta’s aria

4X
Ah! fuggi il traditor
Amour ranime mon courage
Batti batti
Come now a roundel
Das war sehr gut
Der Hölle Rache
Donde lieta uscì
Emily’s Aria from Our Town
Fire aria
Il est doux
Kommt ein schlanker Bursch’ gegangen
Lia’s recitative and aria (Azaël)
O luce di quest’anima
Quando m’en vo
Steal me

3X
Ah chi mi dice mai
Ah! non credea / Ah non giunge
Ain’t it a pretty night
Chacun le sait
Come per me sereno
Da tempeste
Dearest Mama
Ebben ne andro lontana
Ernani involami
I want magic
Je marche / Obéissons (Gavotte)
Nun eilt herbei
O zittre nicht
Ou va la jeune Hindoue? (Bell song)
Presentation of the Rose
S’altro che lagrime
Stridono lassù
Willow song

2X
Bel raggio
Comme autrefois
Dis moi que je suis belle
Einsam in trüben Tagen
Endless pleasure
Es gibt ein Reich
Gothic cathedral
Have peace Jo
How beautiful it is
Je suis Titania
Joy beyond measure, mother!
Klänge der Heimat (Czàrdàs)
La maja y el ruiseñor
Lady with a Hand Mirror (Postcard from Morocco)
Les oiseaux dans la charmille
Martern aller Arten
O mio babbino caro
O wär’ ich schon
Or sai
Par le rang / Salut à la France
Se il padre perdei
Steal me sweet thief
Tu che di gel
What good would the moon be

ONCE
Adele’s Audition aria
Ah fors’è lui / Sempre libera
Aria Snegurochka (Snowmaiden’s aria)
At night we dream of love (Heggie)
Bester Jüngling
Chanson du Rossignol
Che tua madre
Der kleine Taumann heiss’ich
Di cor mio
Do not utter a word
Du bist der Lenz
Ecco lorrido campo…Ma dallarido stelo divulsa
Elle a fui
Go to sleep, my dolly dear
I always carry a handmirror
I can smell the sea air
I have dreamt
I know you love me, Tom (Hotel Casablanca)
Il primo ardor
In uomini
Injurious Hermia
Io son l’umile ancella
L’altra notte
Ma quando tornerai
Marfa’s Aria (The Tsar’s Bride)
Mein Herr Marquis (Laughing song)
Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss
Merce, dilette amiche
Mi tradì
Myself I shall adore
Neghittosi or voi che fate
Non disperar
O Dieu Brahma
Ombre pallide
Partir, o ciel, desio
Pleurez mes yeux
Qual farfalletta
Ruhe sanft
Scoglio d’immota fronte
Son pochi fiori
Son vergin vezzosa
Tacea la notte / Di tale amor
Tatyana’s Letter Aria
Ten lasky sen (Bartered Bride)
This is the face….
Trahir Vincent… Mon coeur ne paut changer (Mireille)
Trees on the mountain
Un bel dì vedremo
Vissi d’arte
Vivan los que rien
Volate, amori
Welche Wonne welche Lust
Zachem zhe eti slyozy (Lisa’s First Act Aria)
Zeffiretti lusinghieri

The following list was compiled from the arias listed on audition applications of singers who were heard during this fall’s WTOC audition tour. The number in bold refers to the number of singers in this voice type who listed each aria. (This does not refer to the arias actually heard in auditions; that list will follow in December.)

THE WINNER (19X)
Smanie implacabili

RUNNERS-UP (12X)
Must the winter come so soon
Svegliatevi nel core
Va! laisse couler mes larmes

10X
Voi che sapete
Wie du warst

9X
Cruda sorte
Que fais-tu

8X
Sein wir wieder gut
Una voce poco fa (mezzo)

7X
Things change Jo

6X
Parto parto

5X
Give him this orchid

4X
Adieu forêts
Nobles Seigneurs salut
Non piu mesta
O mio Fernando
Pres des remparts (Seguidilla)
Vois sous l’archet (Violin aria)

3X
All’afflitto è dolce il pianto
Je vous ecris (Letter scene)
Pauline’s aria (Podrugi milïye)
Thy hand Belinda / When I am laid in earth

2X
As I was saying (Baba the Turk)
Chacun à son goût (Ich lade gern)
Connais-tu le pays
Deh per questo istante
Dopo notte
Enfin je suis ici
Faites-lui mes aveux
I shall find for you (Lullaby)
Iris hence away
L’amour est un ouiseau rebelle (Habanera)
Me voici dans son boudour
Priva son d’ogni conforto

ONCE
A Prayer (The Mighty Casey)
Ah! mon fils (Le Prophete)
Batti, batti
Beppe’s Aria ( L’amico Fritz)
Cara speme, questo core
Che farò
Contro un cor
Dal crudel che m’ha tradita (Tamerlano)
Di tanti palpiti
En vain pour éviter
I am an actress (Nina’s aria)
I am easily assimilated
Je vais mourir
Lyubasha’s Aria (Tsar’s Bride)
Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix
My father left me here (Therese Raquin)
New York has Changed Me (An American Tragedy)
Nimmermehr wird mein Herze…
Non . . . vous n’avais jamais (Les Huguenots)
O! la pitoyable aventure
Or la tromba
Perfido, di a quell’empio tiranno
Povero amico
Romance from La Damnation de Faust
Sgombra è la sacra selva / Deh! Proteggimi
Sta nell’Ircana
There is a garden
Vedro con mio diletto
What a movie
Where shall I fly

The following list was compiled from the arias listed on audition applications of singers who were heard during this fall’s WTOC audition tour. The number in bold refers to the number of singers in this voice type who listed each aria. (This does not refer to the arias actually heard in auditions; that list will follow in December.)

MOST POPULAR (16X)
Dies Bildnis

RUNNERS-UP (11X)
Here I stand
Una furtiva lagrima

6X
Ah lève-toi soleil

5X
Ah mes amis

4X
Ah la paterna mano
Dein is mein ganzes Herz
Il mio tesoro

3X
Addio fiorito asil
Ecco ridente
Fra poco a me ricoverò
Frisch zum Kampfe
Ich baue ganz
It’s about the way people is made (Sam’s aria)
La fleur (Flower song)
New York Lights
O wie ängstlich
Outside this house
Pourquoi me reveiller
Tarquinius does not wait
Total Eclipse

2X
Che gelida manina
Dal labbro il canto
De Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Fantaisie aux divins mensonges
Firenze è come un albero
Kuda kuda (Lenski)
Lonely House
O Colombina
Parmi veder le lagrime
Quanto è bella
Questa o quella
Salut! demeure chaste e pure
Sì ritrovarla
Un aura amorosa

1X
Ach so fromm
Ah fuyez
Ah! Je vais l’aimer – Béatrice et Bénédict – Berlioz
Albert the Good
Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden
Amor ti vieta
Aria of the worm
Barbaro fato
Be not afeard
Care pupille
Ch’ella mi creda
Ciel e terra
Deserto in terra
Di rigori armato il seno
Divinite des grands Aames
D’ogni pieta mi spoglio
E un folle un vile affetto
Heaven helps those
I know that you all hate me
Im Gegenteil (Tanzmeister)
In that country (Adventure of Pinocchio)
Je crois entendre
Jour et nuit
Languir per una bella
Magische Tone
Mein lieber Schwan
O blonde Ceres
O Go! Go! Go Away!
O nature pleine de grâce
O paradis (L’Africaine)
O Souveraign
Oh jours heureux
Once when I was a young man
Open Thou my lips, O Lord
Peter Grimes’ mad scene
Povero Ernesto
Prologue – Turn of the Screw
Se all’impero
Se fosse in torno al trono
Tradito schernito
Tu vivi e punito
Un momento di contento
Va pour Kleinzach!
Vainement ma bien aimée
Vedrommi intorno
Wie eine Rosenknospe
Winterstürme

The following list was compiled from the arias listed on audition applications of singers who were heard during this fall’s WTOC audition tour. The number in bold refers to the number of singers in this voice type who listed each aria. (This does not refer to the arias actually heard in auditions; that list will follow in December.)

THE BIG WINNER (22X)
Hai gia vinta la causa

10X
Ah per sempre
Mein Sehnen (Pierrot’s Tanzlied – Die Tote Stadt)

9X
O du mein holder Abendstern

8X
Avant de quitter ces lieux

7X
Bella siccome un angelo
Come Paride vezzose
Lieben Hassen

6X
Largo al factotum
E fra quest’ansie (Silvio)
Votre toast (Toreador)

5X
Mab
O vin dissipe la tristesse
Within this frail crucible
Billy in the Darbies

4X
Papageno’s suicide aria
Questo amor
Sois immobile

3X
Donne mie
Ein Mädchen
Onegin’s aria
Onegin’s Act III Arioso
Rivolgete
Vision fugitive

2X
And farewell to ye
Aprite un po quegl’ occhi
Come un’ ape
Maxim’s
Se vuol ballare
Vien Leonora
Warm as the autumn light
When the air sings of summer

ONCE
A quoi bon l’economie
Deh vieni all finestra
Deh, ti ferma
Der Vogelfänger
Di Provanza il mar
Do you know the land?
Du côte de la barbe (Cendrillon)
É sogno?
Fin ch’han dal vino
Friedrich’s Aria (Das Liebesverbot)
George’s Aria
I’ll be there (Grapes of Wrath)
Io morro ma lieto in core
Johanna
Madamina, il catalogo è questo
My Friends (Sweeney Todd)
News has a kind of mystery (Nixon In China)
Nothin’, that’s how you people see me
Nulla, silencio
Nur Mutig, mein Herze
O Nadir
O Rosalinde
Per me giunto…
Prince Igor (Ni sna ni)
Scintille, Diamant
Snooks’ Aria (A Wedding)
Ves tabar spit (Aleko’s Cavatina)
Voilà donc la terrible cité
Yeletsky’s aria (Ya vas lyublu)
Zazà piccola zingara

The following list was compiled from the arias listed on audition applications of singers who were heard during this fall’s WTOC audition tour. The number in bold refers to the number of singers in this voice type who listed each aria. (This does not refer to the arias actually heard in auditions; that list will follow in December.)

THE WINNER (9X)
Se vuol ballare

RUNNER-UP (8X)
Vous qui faites l’endormie

6X
Come dal ciel
La calunnia
Madamina (Catalogue aria)
O Isis und Osiris

5X
Hear me O Lord
Il lacerato spirito
Vi ravviso

4X
Come master
Épouse quelque brave fille
Gremin’s aria
Quand la flamme
Vecchia zimarra
When my cue comes call me
Aprite un po’

3X
I miei rampolli femminini
I rage / O ruddier than the cherry
I’m a lonely man Susannah
In diesen heil’gen Hallen

Twice
Aleko’s aria (Ves’ tabor spit)
Arise ye subterranean winds
Deh ti ferma
Ella giammai m’amò
Infelice
Schweig’! Schweig’!

Once
Abenlich stralht der Sonne Auge
Als Büblein klein
Di cupido
Ho capito
Le Tambour-Major
Le veau d’or
Leave me loathsome light
Mein Herr und Gott
Nel mondo e nell’abisso
Non più andrai
Oh Beauty, oh handsomeness, goodness
Ombre di mia prosapia
Piff paff
Rucker’s Sermon
Scintille diamant
Tirannia
Vieni, la mia vendetta
Voici des roses
Voli colla sua tromba
Wahn!, Wahn ueberall Wahn
Wie schon ist doch die Musik

The Saturday morning sunrise from my New York hotel room was some consolation for having to be up at 6am to catch the train to Philadelphia.

My personal tally at the end of this, National Opera Week 2009:

• 4 operas (Lohengrin, Esther, Stradella, & The House of the Dead)
• 188 auditions
• 393 arias
• 17 monologues
• 9 interviews
• 7.5 hours of research

Still working on the Aria Frequency List for this tour; look for it by midweek.

Philadelphia today, and Vienna VA for the next 3 days. Much sleep is needed, but the finish line is in sight!