Professionalization course for students
with audition training and 3 theoretical modules on the subject of theater systems, audition/interview techniques and legal aspects in theater.
Time unit: 6 days or 3 weekends
BLOCK I
Coaching: Personal position ascertainment (What is my situation? What are my abilities?)
Theory:
● Basic Questions
● Theater systems (German speaking region, Europe, USA)
● Ensemble theater, repertoire – and seasonal (Stagione) system
Audition Training 1: First audition training and collaborative Analysis (including Video)
● Emphasis on: basic behavior aids, objective and subjective assessment criteria of the singer’s performance abilities through teachers, opera directors, agents etc.
BLOCK II
Coaching: What is my path?
Theory:
● Possibilities in career planning
● Building personal skills for personal marketing
● Using the Bühnenjahrbuch
● Artist agencies (Description of responsibilities of european Agents, brief view of legalities in the artist/agency relationship … )
● Improving self-assessment
● Professional application/résumé preparation
● The Vocal Competition as opportunity for visibility among opera directors and agents. Introduction to the most important competitions in Europe
● Opera Studio – further studies or first career opportunity? Introduction to the most important Opera Studios in Europe.
Audition Training 2: Second audition training and collaborative Analysis (including Video)
● Modifying audition repertoire based on the potential position/opera house and respectively refining one’s personal audition repertoire
BLOCK III
Coaching: The first goal within reach
Theory:
● The first engagement – which aspects are important to consider? Guest engagement or fixed contract (1 or 2 years ex.), pre-assigned roles, number of performances, salary…
● The first contract – Analysis of typical fixed contracts for singers (NV Bühne). Analysing a typical guest contract in the European system
● Analysing a typical guest contract in the European system.
● How a professional theater functions
● The singer’s duties and responsibilities (Introduction to procedures in a typical opera house) with situational examples
● Singer’s rights – what are one’s subjective and objective boundries? Potential problem solving with situational examples
● The development of an opera production from conception to completion
Audition Training 3: For audience or agents, Video analysis
● Final individual analysis and discussion, with possible re-evaluation of personal position ascertainment
“If you know what you are doing, you can do what you want.”
Moshé Feldenkrais