2013 Antiphony Auditions
Audition Information for
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Music by Graham Preskett
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Please note new second weekend dates:
Auditions October 13, 14, 27, and 28, 2012 (by appointment only)
Performances March 16, 17, 23 and 24, 2013
[CLICK HERE FOR A SYNOPSIS OF THE OPERA]
INFO FOR ALL AUDITIONEES
Everyone who wishes to perform needs to schedule an audition! The audition process includes the vocal evaluation as well as time to fill out forms, be photographed, and discuss schedules and volunteer job requirements.
If you would like to be involved with us but cannot commit enough time or don't want to perform on stage, we welcome people who would like to experience other aspects of our production. Opportunities are available in areas such as set construction, ushering, makeup and backstage! If interested, contact Auditions13@FamilyOpera.org or call Carla Procaskey at 617-661-0479.
PLEASE NOTE that every family must sign up for a volunteer job at the time of auditions. In order to be prepared to choose a job, please read through this entire web-page, especially the section entitled FAMILY PARTICIPATION AND WORK REQUIREMENTS below.
WHEN (please note new second weekend dates)
Saturday and Sunday October 13 and 14, 2012
Saturday and Sunday October 27 and 28, 2012
Auditions will be scheduled at 15-20 minute intervals from 1:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
WHERE
Deborah Mason School of Dance
32 Cottage Park Avenue
Cambridge MA 02140
[CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS]
TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION AND FOR MORE INFORMATION
Email Auditions13@FamilyOpera.org or
call 617-803-1793
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
The entire audition process (which includes filling out forms, photographing, and discussing the schedule and participants' responsibilities, as well as the vocal evaluation) usually takes about an hour and a half.
AGE REQUIREMENT
Anyone currently 7 or older can participate, from children to adults, inexperienced to classically trained. There is no maximum age.
We ENCOURAGE participation in our productions by multiple family members, both onstage and offstage.
We REQUIRE that:
- an adult perform onstage with all children currently younger than 10
- an adult attend rehearsals with all children currently younger than 12
We may also ask that an adult perform or attend rehearsals with some children above these age limits.
FAMILY PARTICIPATION AND WORK REQUIREMENTS
We ask all cast member families to help in the following ways:
- We require all participating families to sign up for a minimum of 8 hours of work on general tasks that support the production (set construction, painting, rehearsal cleanup, concession table, sewing costumes, etc.).
- Participants may sign up to manage a specific task for the production (time commitment varies).
- Participants may sign up to join a NCFO standing committee, working on issues not related solely to the current production (e.g., fundraising and development, publicity and marketing, logistics, etc.)
We will ask you to sign up for a job at auditions. You can download a description of all available jobs HERE. Note that by the time you arrive at auditions, some jobs may already have been filled, so please come with more than one job in mind. You can improve your chances of getting the job you want by discussing it with Carla beforehand, when you schedule your audition.
DONATION AND FEES
NCFO is a self-supporting non-profit organization. We do not charge a fee for participating in our production. In order to cover our production costs, we request a voluntary, tax-deductible donation from each family. Our suggested donation is $200 per family, but donations in any amount are welcome and gratefully acknowledged.
WHAT TO BRING TO AUDITIONS
Please bring information about your schedule (and/or your family's schedule) for December through early April, so that we can discuss potential conflicts.
Also, please bring your checkbook, in case you would like to make a donation to the opera company at auditions, before it slips your mind.
Come prepared to be photographed.
REHEARSAL AND SCHEDULE INFORMATION
We will hold an organizational meeting and first rehearsal on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20 (tentatively at 3:00pm). Attendance is MANDATORY for everyone in the cast as well as for at least one responsible adult from every family. Regular rehearsals begin on Sunday, December 4 and then rehearse every subsequent Sunday until performances EXCEPT:
- just before Christmas (Sunday, December 23)
- just before New Year's (Sunday, December 30)
- President's Day weekend (Sunday, February 17)
Please note that we WILL be rehearsing on Martin Luther King Day weekend (Sunday, January 20), as well as the second Sunday of school vacation week (Sunday, February 24).
The ENTIRE CAST rehearses on Sunday afternoons. The time you arrive for rehearsal will depend on your casting. Major soloists and minor soloists can expect to rehearse anytime from 12:30 - 6:30 PM on Sundays, while choruses rehearse starting between 2:30 and 4:30, (this will vary from week to week for different ensembles). We try very hard to end all rehearsals on time at 6:30, when we have a pizza party for those who would like to stay. We try to publish a rehearsal schedule for each month and send email reminders midweek before each Sunday rehearsal.
Chorus rehearsals will last between 2 and 4 hours during each of the regular Sunday rehearsals, including scheduled breaks. Major and minor soloists should expect to rehearse for additional time on selected Sunday afternoons. All major and some minor soloists may be required to rehearse on some weekday evenings as well (most often Thursday evening).
| Runthrough Rehearsals | March 2 and 3 |
| Dress Rehearsals | March 9 and 10 |
| Performances | March 16, 17, 23, and 24 |
ALL CAST MEMBERS must attend scheduled runthrough rehearsals (tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 2013) and dress rehearsals (tentatively Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10, 2013); therefore it is important to check your family's schedule before accepting a role in this show. You will be scheduled for two 4-hour runthroughs (one on Saturday and one on Sunday) and two 4-hour dress rehearsals (one on Saturday and one on Sunday) on these very important weekends. These are the rehearsals where everything comes together and many things get changed, so it is critical to be there!
Tentatively, two performances a day are scheduled for March 16, 17, 23 and 24, with each cast member scheduled for four of these eight performances (usually one per day). However, this schedule may be modified pending availability of the venue and number of participants.
We will not cast you if you cannot adhere to the rehearsal and performance schedule for these last four weekends.
RUNNING TIME
This opera will run about 1 hour in performance, plus a 20-minute intermission.
PREPARING FOR THE VOCAL AUDITION
The vocal audition is straightforward: our musical director will lead you through a set of vocalization exercises and will then listen to you sing either your prepared solo music, or (for those not auditioning for a lead solo role) Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (or some other song you are comfortable with singing). Ordinarily, all family members who want to perform in our show audition at the same time. We will make an audio recording of a portion of your audition to help us with casting.
If you wish to audition for one of the principal roles, please come prepared to sing for one role of your choice. The printed and recorded music to audition for lead roles is available for download in the ROLES section below, or can be obtained from:
- David Bass, 23 Norris St., Cambridge, 617-354-2797, David@FamilyOpera.org
- Carla Procaskey, 61 Sparks St. #3, Cambridge, 617-661-0479, Carla@FamilyOpera.org
We will evaluate you on all aspects of the song you sing in audition, including intonation, rhythmic precision, dramatic presentation of the character, and ability to sing harmony, so please work on each of these aspects. We will make an audio recording of a portion of your audition to help us with casting.
Don't worry too much about which role to sing for... we may well cast you in a different role anyway, so just choose one with a song you feel comfortable singing. Please do NOT ask the director what role you or your child should try out for, it really doesn't matter. Those not aspiring to one of the principal roles, or not interested in a solo role at all, don't need to prepare anything to sing.
CASTING
We put a great deal of thought into casting the opera. Usually we double cast each role, so each soloist sings in four of the eight performances. So far we have been able to give everyone who wants one a solo in each of our productions, and we hope to continue this tradition, but cannot guarantee it. There is always a lot of singing to do in the chorus and in smaller ensembles, though.
Because our shows are double cast, we must divide participants into two casts before final role assignments can be made. It will be a month or two before you find out your solo assignment, so please be patient.
We endeavor to assign solos that will challenge you but not overwhelm you. We consider not only ability to sing, act and dance the role, but also age, number of years participating in the opera, and roles sung in previous NCFO operas. We will not assign you a solo role that requires you to sing harmony (e.g., Gaspard or Cigale) unless you have demonstrated the ability to do so in audition (to do otherwise would not be fair to the other ensemble members). And don't expect to receive a big role just because your friend does. It doesn't work that way.
ROLES
Principal roles are listed below. All ranges span at least one but fewer than two octaves. If you want to audition for a principal role, you MUST prepare using the sheet music and MP3s provided below. Auditions for some roles require that you learn one song, others two songs. When two songs are given, please learn both of them, although you may asked only to sing one in the audition. It is VERY important to practice with the file that does NOT have your part being sung, as that is what will be played when you audition. Please report any incorrect links to David@FamilyOpera.org.
- To download the MP3s:
- Mac - option-click; or right-click or control-click and choose "download linked file" or "download linked file as..."
- PC - control-click; or right-click and choose "save link..." or "save link as..."
- GASPARD is a carefree singing grasshopper.
- Child or teen, A to E
- Must be able to sing harmony
- Please come prepared to sing:
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- Give Life a Chance (the closing anthem that conveys the message of the opera; demonstrating range and ability to sing harmony)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with all voice parts sung
- Hear the song with your part sung
- Hear the song without your part sung
- Hear what will be played when you audition
- CIGALE is Gaspard's girlfried, singing and business partner, and is by far the more practical of the two grasshoppers.
- Child or teenage girl, C to F# (optional G)
- Must be able to sing harmony
- Please come prepared to sing:
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- You and Me Make One (love duet, to demonstrate ability to sing harmony; sing tenderly)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with all voice parts sung
- Hear the passage with your part sung
- Hear the passage without voices
- Hear what will be played when you audition
- THE FLY is an unscrupulous talent agent.
- Anyone, G to D (optional E)
- Please come prepared to sing the following two songs:
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- Very Interesting (a brief passage with some tough intervals, to demonstrate your intonation; sing deviously)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with your part sung
- Hear what will be played when you audition
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- Fly 3 / Fame (recitative and solo, to demonstrate your dramatic and vocal range; you are trying to convince Gaspard to sign with you despite his better judgment)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with your part sung
- Hear what will be played when you audition
- QUEEN ANTONOMASIA is the leader of the Worker Ant colony with a strong sense of decorum.
- Adult soprano, B to A
- Please come prepared to sing the following two songs:
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- Where Have You Been / They're Faster (the Queen explains why she believes singing is good for worker morale; sing pedagogically and show off your range)
- See the score
- Hear the song with your part sung
- Hear what will be played when you audition
- They Got a Song (please focus on precision of the notes during this passage)
- See the score
- Hear the song with your part sung
- Hear what will be played when you audition
- QUEEN ANTAGONIST is the leader of the Warrior Ant colony and more than a little megalomanic.
- Adult alto or mezzo, G to F# (optional G)
- Please sing the songs for The Fly (above)
- MISS TIQUE is an alluring dragonfly who works for The Fly
- Adult soprano or mezzo, B to F
- Please come prepared to sing the following two songs:
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- We Love You (Gaspard is defensely against your feminine wiles)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with your part sung
- Hear the passage without your part sung
- The Superior Force (show off your rubato and range)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with your part sung
- Hear the passage without your part sung
- BEETLE GEUSE THE STAG BEETLE is the brigadier in the Warrior Queen's war cabinet.
- Baritone, G to E
- Must be able to sing harmony
- Please come prepared to sing:
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- Disaster 2 (show me how anxious you can be and that you can sing harmony... I may be re-recording this, so check back in a few days)
- See the score
- Hear the passage with all voice parts sung
- Hear the passage with your part sung
- Hear the passage without your part sung
- Hear what will be played when you audition
- BEETLE DOM THE DUNG BEETLE is a mid-level bureaucrat in the Worker Ant colony who suffers from an anxiety disorder
- Baritone, A to E
- Some harmony singing
- Please sing the song for Beetle Geuse (see above).
- THE WASP is another, very caustic member of the Warrior Queen's war cabinet.
- Anyone, C to F
- Must be able to sing harmony
- Please sing the song for Gaspard or Cigale (see above).
ALL SOLOISTS ranges and songs:
| CHORUS/SOLO ROLE | AGE/VOICE | RANGE | HARMONY | SINGS IN |
| Principals: | ||||
| Gaspard | Child or Teen Mezzo or Bari | A to E | Yes | |
| Cigale | Child or Teen Soprano | C to F#(G) | Yes | |
| The Fly | Any | G to D(E) | No | |
| Worker Queen | Adult Soprano | B to A | No | |
| Warrior Queen | Adult Alto or Mezzo | G to F#(G) | No | |
| Miss Tique | Adult Mezzo | B to F | Yes | |
| Dung Beetle | Adult Baritone or Bass | A to E | No | |
| Stag Beetle | Adult Baritone or Bass | G to E | Yes | |
| Wasp | Any | C to F | Yes | |
| Worker Queen's Entourage: | ||||
| Arrog Ant, the Major Domo | Any | C# to B | No | Scene 2 |
| Attend Ant | Child | C# to B | No | Scene 2 |
| Assist Ant | Child | C# to D | No | Scene 2 |
| Inform Ant | Any | C# to D | Yes | Disaster 3 |
| Vigil Ant | Any | C# to E | Yes | Disaster 3 |
| Worker Ant Chorus: | ||||
| Ambul Ant | Child ("Morning, how are you?") | A to F | Some | Scene 1 |
| Irrelev Ant | Child ("Morning, fair to middling...") | C# to A | Some | Scene 1 |
| Insignific Ant | Child ("Morning, looks like rain") | D to B | Some | Scene 1 |
| Nonexist Ant | Child ("Morning, how's your cold?") | C# to A | Some | Scene 1 |
| Communic Ant | Anyone ("Your attention, please...") | A to F | No | Scene 1 |
| Desc Ant | High Soprano | C# to A | Some | Scene 2 |
| Recalcitr Ant | Child ("We're ants, my friend") | A to F | No | Scene 1 |
| Res Ant | Child ("We're resolutely glum") | E to A | No | Scene 1 |
| Nonexist Ant | Child ("Life is real, life is earnest") | D to A# | No | Scene 1 |
| Celebr Ant | Soprano or Mezzo | E to E | Some | Scene 2 |
| Redund Ant | Child ("No, there heart isn't in it") | E to B | No | Scene 9 |
| Warrior Ant Chorus: | ||||
| Noncombat Ant | Any ("We've medals by the score") | D to D | No | Scene 3 |
| Reluct Ant | Any ("But when we hear the bugle") | C to C | No | Scene 3 |
| Recre Ant | Any ("We all know how to shoot") | D to D | No | Scene 3 |
| Insubordin Ant | Any ("But life seems much to short") | C to C | No | Scene 3 |
| Defi Ant, the smallest ant | Any ("But our heart isn't in it") | F to C | No | Scene 9 |
| Hesit Ant | Any ("In a war, lose or win it") | D to A | No | Scene 9 |
| War Cabinet Chorus | Any | Some | ||
| Ladybugs Chorus | Teen and Adult Women | Yes |
Boldface solo ranges span more than one, but less than two octaves; all others span one octave or less.
Notes in (parentheses) are optional.
"Harmony" refers to singing harmony as a soloist or in small ensemble. All large choruses sing harmony.
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