From the Chorus Master

Come Sing With Us Next Summer!
Madama Butterfly and Lucia di Lammermoor

Chorus members sing out in Il Trovatore, (2008)
Photo: Robert Shomler

Festival Opera's 2010 season will feature two of the most famous works in the operatic literature – Giacomo Puccini's beautiful and heart-wrenching Madama Butterfly and Gaetano Donizetti’s bel canto masterpiece Lucia di Lammermoor. Be a part of the Festival Opera Chorus next summer and find out for yourself why there is so much excitement about this young company that turns 19 this year!

Each summer, Festival Opera produces two operas with varying demands for chorus. This last season's dramatic production of Turandot had a chorus of more than sixty singers, including adults and children; the second opera, the critically acclaimed production of Faust, had a chorus of forty.

For Madama Butterfly the chorus features primarily women’s voices with the addition of some important tenor voices. Lucia di Lammermoor will showcase a chorus of approximately forty adults, divided almost evenly between men and women.

Primarily a volunteer group of singers, chorus members are chosen for the two operas based on auditions held annually. Requirements for participation in the Festival Opera Chorus are:

Ability to read music
Good physical health and stamina
Ability to learn and memorize music independently
Availability for all rehearsals and performances
Ability to memorize music for all public performances

Rehearsals for the season generally begin in the early part of each year and are held on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings. For staging rehearsals and performances, please refer to Critical Dates below.

Singers interested in auditioning must prepare a short selection in Italian, which must be sung from memory. To schedule an audition, please e-mail James Toland, chorus master, at the e-mail address located at the top of the right-hand column.

Critical Dates for 2010

Madama Butterfly — staging rehearsals June 19 – July 3, tech rehearsals July 5 – July 8, performances July 10, 13, 16 and 18; a possible additional performance July 23.

Lucia di Lammermoor — staging rehearsals July 17 –July 31, tech rehearsals August 2 – August 5, performances August 7, 10, 13 and 15.