OPERA New England Susannah Carlisle Floyd That pretty face must hide some evil Bruce Menzies George Torbay Conductor Director January 2017 Auditions Information Pack and Application Form www.operanewengland.com operanewengland@gmail.com
Opera New England - ONE Welcome Thank you for taking the time to audition for our January 2017 production of Carlisle Floyd s landmark American opera Susannah. These pages contain all of the information you will need to consider and complete your application, but before we get to that, let me tell you a few things about who we are. Opera New England (ONE) is a not-for-profit incorporated association whose principal objective is to promote and produce opera to audiences in the New South Wales - New England Region in Australia. A unique and exciting feature of ONE is the involvement of current singers or recent graduates from conservatoria or universities. This provides the opportunity to develop and showcase your talent whilst also providing exposure of quality productions to the local regional community. Our previous productions The Marriage of Figaro, La Bohème, Carmen and La traviata were outstanding successes. Susannah will be directed by George Torbay and conducted by Bruce Menzies. We look forward to receiving your application and seeing your audition. Audition Details We will audition for Susannah via YouTube, VIMEO or through DVD. This will provide an opportunity for a larger range of performers who may not able to attend a face-to-face audition. In the case of a casting impasse, the audition panel may contact singers to arrange a live audition. Download and complete the Audition form from our website and send this to our email address operanewengland@gmail.com By YouTube or VIMEO Please upload your audition to YouTube or VIMEO and send us the link with your Audition Form. By DVD Please send a DVD to the audition panel to: Opera New England PO Box 653 Armidale, 2350 Information related to audition requirements can be found on page 5 of this document. Note: Applications will close at 5pm on FRIDAY 2 nd SEPTEMBER Successful cast members will be notified by FRIDAY 16 th SEPTEMBER 2
1 2 The Audition Committee George Torbay - Named by The Sydney Morning Herald as one of Australia's leading musical lights, George Torbay is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts USA, the University of Sydney and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. A distinguished conductor, music educator, performer and director, he has served as Chief Conductor Choral Music for the NSW Department of Education, Lecturer in Singing at Federation University, advisor to Hal Leonard Australia and as the Director of Music and Judge on Channel 7 s Battle of the Choirs. He is a published arranger with Warner Brothers, Morton Music and Hal Leonard Australia for whom he has published eight books entitled CHORALTIME. George has recently completed writing the new Musical Theatre syllabus for the Australian Music Examinations Board. His directing credits include the Sydney production of Chess, Jesus Christ Superstar, Titanic The Musical, Urinetown, Les Misérables at NIDA, the plays Table Manners, The Woman in Black, Blood Brothers, Up For Grabs and the new Australian musical The Hatpin. George directed Opera New England s inaugural production of The Marriage of Figaro followed by La Bohème and La traviata. Bruce Menzies - Has conducted regularly from the symphonic and choral repertoire for many years. Most recently he directed the Australian premiere of Richard Harvey s Concerto Incantanto. Bruce directed the Australian premiere of Harvey s oratorio Plague and the Moonflower and was invited to perform the work at the Woodford Folk Festival in 2007 where it was described by the festivals Director as The performance was my highlight of the 520 events this year at Woodford and will take its place in my top memories of my 18 years as Director of the festival. In 2008 he conducted the world premiere performances of Elena Kats-Chernin and Ralph Steadman s Oratorio God s Drawing Board. Music Theatre conducting credits include The Hatpin, Urinetown, Titanic, Into the Woods, HMS Pinafore, Sweeney Todd, Orpheus in the Underworld, Les Miserables, Guys & Dolls, Iolanthe, Me & My Girl, Legally Blonde and Tommy. Bruce conducted The Marriage of Figaro for Opera New England s inaugural production in 2013 then La Bohème in 2014, Carmen in 2015 and La traviata in 2016. A full time medical practitioner, Bruce was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to medicine and the arts in the Armidale Region, particularly music. Rowena Cowley has appeared as soloist for Australia's foremost music organisations including the ABC, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, the Song Company, the Australia Ensemble, Synergy & Musica Viva, and performed at the Adelaide, New Zealand and Sydney Festivals, as well as giving recitals in New York and New Jersey. Recent performances include a national broadcast with acclaimed pianist Gerard Willems, concerts including Ravel s Chansons Madécasses, Bernard Rands s Canti lunatici and a recital of Australian Art Songs of the 21st Century (with a world premiere of Katy Abbott s Domestic Sublime) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Other performances include a recital of Italian Art Songs, soprano soloist in Britten s War Requiem, Sydney Chamber Opera s Owen Wingrave (Mrs Julien) and a world premiere of The Stubborn Heart, a song cycle by George Palmer. Rowena is a senior lecturer in Voice and Opera at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Her students include many professionals in Australia and internationally, and finalists and winners in a number of major competitions. Rowena served as voice coach and mentor for The Marriage of Figaro, La Bohème, Carmen and La traviata and will fulfill this role for Susannah. 3
Your commitment to us Susannah will be performed in Armidale NSW, AUSTRALIA at The Hoskins Centre. Cast members will be expected to make their own way to and from Armidale and arrive by midday on Tuesday 10 th January having learnt their role. Rehearsals will be on January 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 with dress rehearsals on January 17 & 18. Note: Rehearsals will begin at 2pm on Tuesday 10 January for all cast. There will be 4 performances in January 2016 Thursday 19 th Opening Night Cast A 7:30pm Friday 20 th Opening Night Cast B 7:30pm Saturday 21 st Evening Performance Cast A 7:30pm Sunday 22 nd Matinee (Final performance) Cast B 2:00pm Our commitment to you Accommodation Meals Accommodation is included in your living away from home package. You will be accommodated in Abbott House at The Armidale School. All breakfasts, lunches and dinners will be provided as part of your living away from home package. Fresh fruit and filtered water will also be available. Cast members will be asked if they have any dietary requirements or food allergies. Cast members will be welcomed at a BBQ on the evening of Tuesday 10 th January. Venue The Hoskins Centre is a professional performance space and you will be working with an experienced artistic and production team and a professional orchestra. 4 Music and translation Auditions are open for all principal and ensemble roles Note: The roles of Susannah Polk, Olin Blitch and Sam Polk will be double cast. Cast members will be sent their music following casting of the production.
Dramatis Personae Susannah Polk Sam Polk Olin Blitch Little Bat McLean Elder McLean Mrs McLean Elder Gleaton Mrs Gleaton Elder Hayes Mrs Hayes Elder Ott Mrs Ott A young woman Her brother A travelling preacher A mentally disabled man Little Bat s father Little Bat s mother Bass/Baritone Baritone Mezzo Baritone Contralto Ensemble of town s people (Note: The ensemble will be a small group of 12 performers. (All covers will be drawn from members of the ensemble) Synopsis A dark twist on the apocryphal story of Susannah and the Elders, Carlisle Floyd s Susannah is one of the most-performed American operas of all time. Susannah Polk, a wide-eyed and beautiful young woman, lives a simple and happy life with her older brother Sam, who raised her. She finds herself viciously ostracized by her small Tennessee mountain village after a group of church elders discover her bathing nude in a secluded stream near her home. Though her intentions were entirely innocent, she is painted as a sinning seductress by the elders. This is in part to conceal their own lustful feelings and the entire town turns against her. A visiting preacher, Reverend Olin Blitch, tries to force her into repentance to save her soul, but turns out to be far more of a devil than is shown in his evangelistic exterior. He rapes Susannah and discovers all too intimately her innocence. He begs her, and the Lord, for forgiveness, but is shot dead by Sam as revenge for violating his sister. The town descends on Susannah s house to drive her out of the village, but she stands her ground, laughing maniacally as she chases them off with a shotgun, leaving her starkly alone as the curtain falls. Audition Requirements TWO SONGS OF YOUR CHOICE IN ENGLISH. Arias from Susannah are welcome but not required. You may ask to be considered for as many roles as you wish. See the audition form for details. AUDITION TIPS: The following information is intended to assist you. 1. This is the only opportunity the panel has to see and hear you. The quality of the recording is important. 2. You should be clearly visible and the panel should be able to see your face. They do not need to see the accompanist. 3. Dress as you would for a professional audition. 4. Speak clearly during the introduction. Be personable. Let the panel get to know you. 5