Opera singer wins $20K and shot at fame
that they have spent dozens or hundreds of hours practicing and rehearsing with a pianist. The singer chooses their first aria, and the judges may request any one of the other three.
Sound judgment
Judging the long jump at the Olympics is empirical; judging opera is more akin to awarding points for ice dancing.
Cristopher Hahn, general director of Pittsburgh Opera, has served as a judge for Laffont and other competitions often throughout his career.
Other competitions with good exposure and cash prizes include the George London Competition ($ 12,000), the Eleanor McCollum Competition ($10,000), and the Richard Tucker Award ($ 50,000, though this award is by conferral rather than audition).
“We evaluate a mixture of technical things like dynamics and diction and intonation. The further along you get in any competition, the more solid these become with the competitors,” he explained.
“Then what you’re looking for is additional expressivity and the ability to be expressive and connect with the audience. That’s something of a nurture and nature kind of thing. Some people are born with an ability to project expression.”
Plenty of singers can deliver technically sound performances that lack the xfactor, expressivity, and vice versa.
Coconut water
The 10 singers that advance to the final round of Laffont have already made it, in a sense.
They stay in New York and train for a week at the Metropolitan Opera, with expenses covered by the company.
“That was the prize in my mind,” Richter said. “We worked with an acting coach and in-house director and their conductor. They made it clear that you’re on their radar for good.”
For the final round, singers perform with the fabled Met Opera Orchestra, one of the top orchestras in the world and one of the only opera orchestras that holds its own concerts and tours in addition to performing below the stage in the pit.
To add to the pressure, singers can only qualify for the semi-final round twice in their career and the final round once. It’s truly a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.
The final round was on March 17 and open to the public. Richter said the day passed in a blur:
“There was a dress rehearsal with the orchestra right before the concert, which was both nerve-wracking and calming. We get to use the Met dressing rooms and their hair and makeup artists.
“I tend to eat light before performances, just a turkey sandwich and a couple snacks for protein — just enough for fuel. Oh, and a lot of coconut water!”
The gatekeepers
Hahn and a contingent from Pittsburgh Opera actually attended the final round, to cheer Richter on but also to preview fresh talent at the competition.
“These competitions continue to inform people who are casting, like myself, about up-and-comers,” Hahn said. “We can invite them to audition if I hear someone suited to an upcoming role.”
Plus, winners are usually sought after by agents. Opera singers, like actors, sign with agencies to help manage their careers and pay them a share of their contract fees. Major artist agencies include IMG, Opus3, 21C and more, and most are based in New York City or the West Coast.
“Finding a manager that way is a hell of a lot easier than sending in a video and asking for representation,” Cornetti said.
She recalled how a similar competition win helped her launch her own career back in 1990 by pairing her with an agent that secured her important auditions in Europe.
Opera singers train in college programs and then lowpaying “residency” programs at opera companies. Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artist program attracts hundreds of applicants a year for only a handful of two-year spots, and programs at larger companies like Chicago Lyric Opera and the Met attract even more. This is one place where the field winnows out young singers.
These programs allow singers to continue to train and develop their voices and acting chops — opera voices don’t tend to fully develop until singers’ mid-to-late-20s or even 30s — while auditioning for summer contracts and applying for managers.
A competition win can significantly expedite that process. Major houses rely on managers and competitions to bring top talent to auditions. Without those bona fides, launching a career is that much more difficult.
Still, in the world of opera, nothing is set in stone.
“There have been many people who win competitions that have had a career, but there are also people who never win that have major careers,” Cornetti said.
“Even a win like this will help but doesn’t actually guarantee a long career. There’s just no formula for this career.”