Odds of Getting In
When you finish your college/university/conservatory program, you will then be expected to transition from the safety and security of always getting the part to the scary adult world of rejection, bad auditions, and crazy schedules. To defeat these very adult things, you can try a few things:
- Network. Get into the local opera community. Attend fundraisers and arts-related events. Attend shows of other artists so that when you finally have something, people will show up to support you instead of judge you.
- Artist internships are offered by some cultural and theatrical organizations. You don't have to do opera to learn valuable information and meet good people; theater, musical theater, and dance companies can all help in some way.
- See if you can hook up with a Young Artist program. These groups help people from twenty-two to thirty-two years old enter into professional opera life with workshops, info meetings, and lots of reassuring pats on the head.
- Learn another language. Seriously, these operas are all in German, Italian, and French. If you know what the heck they're talking about, you can put actual thoughts, actions, and feelings behind it, instead of singing "quando la luna colpisce l'occhio come una grande pizza, che è amore" with a big smile and not having a clue what it means.
Also, you have to be able to sing. Have we said that yet?