Opera News & Press

New Orleans Opera Chorus Auditions

2009-10 Chorus audition dates announced.

The New Orleans Opera Chorus performs in most of the company's main stage productions and has won critical acclaim in both local and national publications. The ensemble maintains about 90 members on the roster annually, and auditions are held each spring for the upcoming season. Singers interested in auditioning should prepare an aria or song in a foreign language, preferably memorized, and bring a clean, bound copy of the accompaniment. A pianist is always provided at no charge, but you may bring your own. Since most operas are performed in the original language (primarily Italian, French and German), there may be some low-key testing to determine language proficiency at your audition. Nonetheless, most choristers are not fluent in foreign languages, and the text is taught by rote during the rehearsal process.

For the 2009-10 season, individual audition times will be scheduled on May 1-3 at First Baptist Church of New Orleans, 5290 Canal Blvd. (map), where both music and staging rehearsals take place before the company moves into the Mahalia Jackson Theatre for the Performing Arts. Prospective choristers should arrive about 10 minutes prior to their audition to fill out the needed paperwork. All singers will be notified about the result of their audition by either letter or e-mail within a reasonable period of time.

The New Orleans Opera Chorus is affiliated with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA); however, Louisiana is a right-to-work state, so union membership is not a requirement. The protective work rules and fee scale (based on seniority) apply to all choristers. A fact sheet about AGMA, including how to join, will be available at your audition.

For more information about the New Orleans Opera Chorus or about the auditions themselves, call Carol Rausch, Chorus Master, at 504-529-2278, ex. 22 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .