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 2023 Season are now open.
Chautauqua Opera once again joined in the consortium being organized by Houston Grand Opera in order to help streamline this season’s application process for all Young Artists. Chautauqua Opera’s application deadline is later than some other consortium companies, but all subsequent deadlines align with the consortium timeline.
Steps are outlined below to guide your understanding of this shared audition process.
Step 1: Apply to each program as you normally would. Applications are due Monday, September 12.
Step 2: Notifications of video auditions will be sent by each company by Friday, October 7. This notification will contain a link to submit a new aria list.
Step 3: Submit your aria list (one list for all programs), indicating your chosen “starter” aria, by Tuesday, October 11.
Step 4: Notification of requested arias from your list (one request for all programs) will be sent on Friday, October 20.
Step 5: Record a new video audition and submit the video to each company via YAP Tracker by Friday, November 4.
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
Chautauqua Opera Company’s 2023 Season:
Sweeney Todd, by Stephen Sondheim – opening on June 30th
Intimate Apparel, by Ricky Ian Gordon / Lynn Nottage – opening on July 20th
La Tragédie de Carmen, by Peter Brook / Marius Constant / Georges Bizet – opening for one performance on August 4th
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 2023 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 2023 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 2023 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?
Monday, September 12, 2022
What materials am I required to submit?
Along with the online application, yaptracker 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 2023, 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 2023 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 Friday, October 8. 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 your audition aria list to the consortium. You will choose your starting aria, just as you would in a regular audition, and the companies will then vote on the two additional selections you will be asked to record. You will then be notified of the repertoire the panel has selected for your next audition and will be given a new date to create and submit your video(s). To be clear, the consortium’s goal is to streamline the process so that each singer only needs to create one audition video (or set of videos) this season.
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.
How many artists are accepted into the program each year?
8-10 Apprentice Artists, and 8-12 Studio Artists.
What is the difference between an Apprentice Artist and a Studio Artist?
Apprentice Artists sing or cover leading, supporting and/or comprimario roles in mainstage productions, perform at outreach performances, perform with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and are hired under an American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Apprenticeship contract.
Studio Artists perform in the “Studio Showcase series”, which includes artsong recitals, Opera Invasions (community engagement events), open-mic nights, opera scenes, and operas for young audiences; they may also be assigned leading, supporting, comprimario or cover roles in the mainstage productions, and are hired under non-AGMA contracts.
ALL Young Artists appear in the chorus of mainstage productions. Young Artists receive extensive musical coaching from a nationally recognized coaching staff drawn from the finest universities, conservatories and opera houses in the US. Classes in movement, combat, makeup, and acting, as well as master classes given by distinguished artists, agents and voice teachers are offered to all Young Artists. Notable masterclass teachers in the past have included John Fisher (Metropolitan Opera), Peter Kazaras (UCLA), Marlena Malas (Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music), Craig Rutenberg (Metropolitan Opera) and Brian Zeger (Juilliard).
Housing, a weekly stipend and a travel allowance are provided for all Young Artists.
What are the dates for the summer season?
The Young Artist contracts begin in mid-June and end in early August.