Expert: Pamela Thomas - 11/2/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello there,
I am fifteen years old, and have been in love with opera for a few years now. I do not do bel canto singing, rather more of a theatrish/contemporary singing...

Recently, I sang for a family friend visiting from Italy (She is a voice teacher, and sings in opera regularly... She is a forty-two year old dramatic contralto if that makes any difference.)Anyway, I sang for her, and she announced that I would make a perfect Cherubino, and one day Rosina, and Cenerentola too.
Which I thought was random at the time, but now I am really thinking of starting operatic/classical singing and not just musicals.
So, I have decided to audition for a voice program run by the conservatory.
BUT the problem is that I am not a "classical" singer, and although I can manage some easier songs, I honestly do not know what to do.

My possible audition pieces are:
- Oiseaux si tous les ans - Mozart
- Voi che sapete - Mozart
- Me voglio fa na casa - Donizetti
- Where'er you walk - Handel (but up a major third)
- Art thou troubled - Handel
- Che Faro Senza Euridice? - Gluck
- Se Tu M'ami - Pergolesi
- Lasciatemi Morire - Monteverdi
- Ich wolt Ich war ein Fisch - Schubert
- Sah ein Knab - Schubert

Of all of them, the two I sing best are "Art thou troubled" and "Che faro.." but obviously these are both 'alto' (I say that loosely) arias, and could be seen as inappropriate for a young singer....

So do you have any suggestions?

Oh yeah, my workable range is Eb3-A5, but if I absolutely must I can get the Bb.
- Widmung - Schumann

ANSWER: Hi Jeanne,

I really thought I answered your question but I got a notice it was still pending - so please accept my apology for being so late.  I must have read it and not answered at the time!

At fifteen you are very young - but it's good you have been singing - I got my start singing theatre music as well.

It's great you are interested in learning to sing classically as well.  As for the audition:

At fifteen they won't expect you to sing anything really difficult.  You should sing the piece you love the best and shows off your voice the best.
Now, I haven't heard you so I won't really know what best suits your voice from your list but here are my thoughts:

I don't see why you can't sing Art though troubled, especially if you love the piece - it is beautiful and although the phrases are long and you need to make sure you support well - I'm sure you will do it beautifully.

I would not do Che faro - it's too difficult and they won't like you singing it.

I love Lasciatemi Morire - but that is also a slow piece - but if you don't do Art thou troubled it would be lovely.

Se Tu M'ami is also fun and it's a more lively piece and both are appropriate for your to sing I think.

You might also do Voi che sapete since it's a young boy singing (well - suppposedly).  Depends on how you feel about it.

Do you need to sing German?  I don't think you should need to as a 15 year old.  If not, I wouldn't sing it.  If you want another English selection look at the Anton Copland Old American songs - "Long time ago" is beautiful and would be an excellent choice.

I hope this helps and again - I'm so sorry I'm so late in answering.

Best of luck!

Pamela

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:
Thankyou.

Hmm...
The requirements were: five contrasting songs in at least three languages.
May I ask what is wrong with German? Lieder are pretty easy, and nobody will get angry if I sing them... unlike a most horrific performance last month (I sang Ho il cor gia lacero, which I can manage... but my teacher got angry because it is 1. for a contralto and 2. an aria.)

I shall definitely do:
Art thou troubled.
Voi Che Sapete
and
Se Tu M'ami

But I still need two more songs, and another language.

I have a few more songs that my music teacher recommended. Are any of these appropriate:
He was despised - Handel
What would Mrs Herring say? - Britten
What a Myth is Marital Bliss - Mechem
How Few the Joys - Rachmaninoff
Cacilie - Richard Strauss
Nel Cor Piu Non Sento - Pasiello
Lontana da te - Paisiello
Nymphs and Shepherds - Purcell
Un Certo Non So Che - vivaldi
Se tu della mia morte - Scarlatti

Thankyou!  

Answer
Hi Jeanne,

I'm surprised that at the junior level they are requiring 5 pieces and three languages.  But since that's the case there's nothing at all wrong with singing German.

So you have 2 Italian and one English (actually originally Italian).

For the German - "Sah ein knab ein röslein stehn" would be lovely.

Also you could do Schumann's Widmung or "Die Lotusblume" - look on YouTube for Elly Ameling singing them - she was very famous for Lieder singing and they are quite beautiful.

So pick one of the German songs and then I would like to see you do an American song.  

Look at Copland's "Long Time Ago".  It's beautiful and not hard.  Again - go to YouTube and search for June Anderson and Long Time Ago - you hear what a beautiful song it is.

Good luck!

Pamela