Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the frequently asked questions to find more information on our application, scheduling, and audition processes, as well as other general information regarding the Young Artist program.
Applications for the 2024 season are now open.
Steps are outlined below to guide your understanding of this year’s audition process.
Step 1: Applications for Chautauqua Opera Company are due Tuesday, September 12.
Step 2: Notifications of second-round video auditions will be sent by Saturday, October 14.
Step 3: Applicants who are granted a video audition will be required to record and submit two selections in one continuous video recording (without stopping the camera). Repertoire for video auditions will be selected by the singer. Guidelines for repertoire selection and video production will be provided. For Chautauqua Opera applicants, it is most beneficial for one of these two selections to be an English selection and/or 21st Century selection. Chautauqua Opera will accept an audition video prepared for another company as long as it includes at least two selections, the camera is not paused between recordings, and the recording is captured no earlier than September 12, 2023.
Step 4: Record your video audition and submit via YAP Tracker by Sunday, November 12.
If you have questions about Chautauqua Opera’s Young Artist program that are not addressed below, please email us at auditions@chautopera.org.
Contact Information
Chautauqua Opera
PO Box Q
Chautauqua, NY 14722
Opera Ticket Questions:
716.357.6250
General Opera Questions:
716.357.6286
Application Process
What is the Application Screening & Audition Review Process?
Application Screening:
The screening of Young Artist Program applications will have two phases, and each applicant’s materials will be reviewed and listened to by two people, including in all cases Steven Osgood (General & Artistic Director).
Phase 1 – Chautauqua Opera Company will engage a review panel made up of five former Young Artists, each of whom has extensive knowledge of the company’s mission and goals, as well as the expectations of singers entering its Young Artist Program. No singers who are applying for Chautauqua Opera’s season will be eligible for a position on this review panel. The panel members will be given a clear rubric on which to evaluate an applicant’s recordings, scoring on intonation, musicality, diction and stamina. Each applicant will be screened by one member of the review panel.
Phase 2 – Steven Osgood, General and Artistic Director, will review every application and make a final determination on which singers are invited to submit a full audition video. Mr. Osgood will take into consideration the scores given by the Phase 1 panel members, but he will be the sole person responsible for determining which singers are invited for a full audition. Historically, approximately 40-50% of applicants have been invited for a full audition.
Audition Video Screening:
All audition videos will be reviewed in full by Steven Osgood, with those who are viable candidates for positions in the 2024 season being viewed in full by Carol Rausch, Head of Music and Chorus Master. In certain instances the stage director of one or more mainstage productions will also be asked to review audition videos. Final determination of which singers are offered contracts for the season will be made by Steven Osgood and Carol Rausch.
How do I apply for the Young Artist Program?
Applications for our Young Artist Program are housed on YAP Tracker. Simply fill out the application on YAP Tracker and attach all of the required materials.
Please note: Applying for the Young Artist Program does not guarantee that an audition will be granted.
What is the deadline to apply?
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
What materials am I required to submit?
Along with the online application, YAP Tracker will prompt you to upload the following: an up-to-date resumé and headshot, digital audio recordings of 2 arias – 1 in English and 1 in another language.
You must also include a copy of documents proving your age (passport, driver’s license, or goverment-issued ID with birth-date) and right to work/study in the U.S. (passport or visa). Please note: the Chautauqua Opera Company can NOT provide a visa for non-US citizens. You must already have or be able to procure a work or student visa before your contract begins in June 2024, valid through the program’s duration, in order to be considered for this program.
Am I required to include letters of reference with my application packet?
No, we only require the name and contact information of your current voice teacher.
If I don’t have an original language English aria recorded, is it acceptable to send a musical theater or English artsong selection?
This is done on a case by case basis. It is always better to send an original language English aria (opera or oratorio), but if not, an aria translated into English would be preferable to either musical theater or artsong.
Is there an application fee?
There is no application fee for the Young Artist application.
Audition Process
Will CHQ be holding auditions in person this year?
This season all auditions will be held virtually, by submitting a video audition.
When will I be notified if I have received an audition?
You will be notified on October 14. We do notify all applicants, whether or not they receive an audition.
What should I do if I haven’t heard back by the notification date?
Please check your spam/junk email folders, as messages sent through YAP Tracker often get flagged, then email us at auditions@chautopera.org.
I’ve been granted an audition! What do I do next?
In the notification you receive, you will be asked to submit a video audition of two selections in one continuous video recording. Chautauqua Opera Company is working together with other young artist programs on a coordinated audition process this fall. You may self-select any two arias for your video audition, but please be mindful to submit contrasting selections. This can be achieved by considering style, character, language, and tempo. Select arias that will give us the widest view of your artistry and voice. For Chautauqua Opera applicants, it is most beneficial for one of these two selections to be an English selection and/or 21st Century selection.
Submit your audition video via your YAP Tracker application. The deadline for submission is Sunday, November 12, 2023 by 11:59p (PST).
When can I expect to hear whether I have been accepted into the Young Artist Program or not?
We expect invitations to be made in the first two weeks of December, 2023.
General Information
What is the age range of Chautauqua Opera Young Artists?
The age range for eligibility is 21 to 35. Young Artists must have completed their final year of undergraduate studies by the time the opera’s season starts in June.
What are the dates for the summer season?
The Young Artist contracts begin in mid-June and end in late July.