2024 Festival / Young Artist Program
Working Festival Title: “The Wages of Sin”

Initial auditions will be conducted by video submission.  All roles are open until filled — applications submitted in a timely fashion will be given first consideration.

THE PROGRAM

dell’Arte Opera Ensemble provides free training for emerging opera artists to thoroughly prepare complete debut roles and present them public performances in New York City. We focus on refining the artist’s process, providing and refining a toolkit for career success.  Honoraria of $500 – $1500 are paid to all participants.  Artists cast in covers, secondary roles, and ensemble will also participate in song recitals and other programming.

Participants receive free individual coaching with dell’Arte Artistic Director Christopher Fecteau, and other staff coaches, followed by small ensemble rehearsals and an intensive staging period, followed by tech week and 2 weeks of performances.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Artists will be given at least 5 calendar days to accept or decline role offers.  (Free) coaching may start as soon as the singer has begun to study the role, and will continue until staging begins. Participants may elect to do some virtual coaching online, using the FarPlay platform.  Small group music rehearsals are scheduled around the availability of participating singers but are generally concentrated in the month of May.

Full-cast music rehearsals and staging rehearsals begin no sooner than May 13 and continue until tech week.  Performances begin early June, with a final matinee performance on June 16.

Singers must be within reliable commuting distance of NYC during staging and performance.

REPERTOIRE

Tickets, Please! by Robert Nelson, libretto by Sidney L. Berger, after the short story by D. H. Lawrence
Seven Deadly Sins by Kurt Weill, libretto Bertold Brecht (English translation TBD)
“Chansons de Baudelaire”, curated song recital(s) by various composers on poetry from Baudelaire’s “Les Fleurs du Mal”
Cabaret program of songs by Weill, Cole Porter and others

2024 CASTING GUIDANCE

Tickets, Please!
The score has musical and theatrical sensibilities similar to Sondheim.
Nora – soprano
Annie – (lyric soprano or) mezzo-soprano (lead)
Laura – mezzo-soprano
Emmy – alto
Polly – (mezzo or) alto
Cissy – alto
John Thomas – tenor or lyric baritone

Seven Deadly Sins
Anna I – soprano (principal)
Anna II – dancer
Father – tenor (ensemble/secondary)
Brother – tenor (ensemble/secondary)
Brother – baritone (ensemble/secondary)
Mother – bass (not a typ0!) (ensemble/secondary)