Lyric Opera 2022-2023 Issue 6 - Hansel and Gretel

The Final Auditions for Ensemble singer positions in The Patrick G. and Shirley W . Ryan Opera Center take place every year, but their recurring nature does nothing to diminish the intensity of the occasion. Over the course of six hours, one by one, emerging opera talents from around the globe take Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ken Pigott stage, hoping the outcome will be an invitation to join one of the finest artist-development programs in the world. A variety of factors is at play: which current Ensemble members will be returning for another year (they have to re-audition for their spot, as well) and what roles could be assigned in the upcoming season, for example, but as the program’s Director of Vocal Studies Julia Faulkner says, “What we’re really looking for is extraordinary talent that needs to be nurtured.” The specific number that the program will take on, she says, “is not predetermined. We generally aim for 12 singers in the Ensemble, which would include two of each voice type–soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass–plus two additional artists. But where we land is guided by the talent and the potential we hear and see.” The current 2022/23 Ensemble amply demonstrates the results of that approach: there is just one mezzo- soprano, and four tenors—an unusual mix that came about because at last season’s auditions two tenors wowed the judging panel. The focus on talent is not the only exceptional aspect of the Final Auditions : No matter where they’re coming from, each participant’s trip to Chicago is provided by the Ryan Opera Center, including travel and lodging, thanks to generous sponsors and American Airlines, Lyric’s Official Airline. Typically the singers (and also candidates for the new positions of conductor/pianist, stage director, and stage manager, whose audition process is different and takes place separately) fly in for a three- or four-day stay, during which they meet and work with Ryan Opera Center staff and receive coaching sessions to prepare for their audition. With 15 or 20 candidates arriving to audition in any given year, the expenses are considerable. Covering the auditioning artists’ costs is simply the right thing to do, says Lyric General Director, President Singers invited to the Ryan Opera Center Final Auditions have a special opportunity to share their artistry on one of the most famous opera house stages in the world. Ron Dukes,who recently made his Lyric debut in Ernani ,successfully auditioned for a second year at the 2022 Final Auditions accompanied by Laurann Gilley. Lyric Opera of Chicago By David Zivan Lyric Opera of Chicago | 14 Let’s hear it!