Opera/Voice

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

• Two Art Songs (one in English, one in another language).
  • While not technically art song, arias from the 24/26 Italian Songs and Arias books are examples of permissible repertoire.
  • Oratorio arias written before 1750 are permissible. 

• The same repertoire selections may be used for pre-screening and live auditions 
• A sight-singing assessment will be required for vocal music education applicants

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

• 2 operatic arias of differing styles
• 4 art songs
• Language requirements: English and at least 2 languages chosen from Italian/Spanish, German, and French must be presented
• Only DMA applicants must submit two writing samples:
  • One academic paper – papers written during MM academic tenure are acceptable. Topics should be historical and/or theoretical treatments of a musical subject. Papers shall be no less than 10 pages in length. Standard formatting and footnotes are required.
    
  • One essay – composed on current and future trends in classical vocal music. Submitted essays must be 1-2 pages in length in PDF format. Essays must address: the role of classical singing in contemporary American culture; changes that have occurred and/or should occur; and future possibilities for this art form. Considerations may include: resources of talent, finance, venue and medium; both new and standard repertoire; audience. DMA applicants need not address all of these elements. One or two topics of interest may be chosen and discussed.

• Four art songs of contrasting styles and periods in English, French, German and Italian
  
• Two arias (one may be from an oratorio)
  
• DMA applicants will interview with voice faculty at the time of the live audition

• Experience in teaching voice required
• Email professional resume including teaching and work experience to Professor Karen Lykes. 
• Interviews will take place in conjunction with applicant’s live audition
• Preference will be given to DMA applicants

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

• CV or resume in demonstration of their experience working with singers, playing for opera, experience with languages, etc. 
• Recordings are NOT required during the prescreening stage
  

Applicants must prepare one selection from each of the following categories (at least one selection must be played and sung simultaneously)

1. One Mozart aria, with recitative, from the following list: 
   • “In quali eccessi, o numi... Mi tradi” from Don Giovanni 
   • “Crudele, ah no, mio bene... Non mir dir” from Don Giovanni 
   • “Hai già vinta la causa” from Le nozze di Figaro
     
   • “Temerari, sortite fuori di questo loco... Come scoglio” from Cosi fan tutte
     
   • “E Susanna non vien... Dove sono” from Le nozze di Figaro
2. One Puccini aria from the following list: 
   • “Si, mi chiamano Mimì” from La bohème 
   • “Che gelida manina” from La bohème 
   • “Donde lieta” from La bohème
3. One 20th Century aria from the following list:*
   • “No word from Tom” from Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress (complete)
   • “Here I stand” from Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress 
   • “Sein wir wieder gut” from Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos 
   • “Grossmächtige Prinzessin” from Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos
   • *In exceptional situations, with approval of the Opera Coaching faculty, this selection could be substituted for a solo work demonstrating technical abilities.
4. One ensemble from the following list: 
   • Sextet from Don Giovanni “Sola, sola in buio loco” 
   • Quartet from Rigoletto
5. Prepare an aria that you will coach in your audition. We ask that you send us a list of possibilities to Professor Marie-France Lefebvre (short arias are welcome – “Ach ich fuhl’s, Di Provenza”...). A singer will be provided at the audition.
6. Sight-reading

• Applicants should already have earned a bachelor’s degree with college-level proficiency in two languages from French, German or Italian 
• The program is extremely competitive with no more than four students enrolled in any given year

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

• Four operatic arias (video with high quality sound fidelity). Examples should not be sound enhanced. Videos may be from live performances (not split) of opera in which the student has recently appeared (please only send a five-minute clip cued to your specific excerpt), as well as the solo presentation of four operatic arias.

• Four arias in total
  • One in English
  • One in Italian
  • One in EITHER French or German
  • One as the singer prefers

To be considered for the Opera Scholarship Competition, you must submit a separate Opera Scholarship Competition Application form.

Applicants must also prepare the following for the preliminary round audition (the preliminary round audition occurs on the same date as your assigned degree audition date):

• Five arias (if applying for MM or DMA, the two required for the degree program plus three others; if applying for the AD, the four required for the degree program plus one other).
  
• Four art songs (MM and DMA applicants only), including contrasting styles and periods in English, French, German and Italian. 

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

• A 3 to 5-page artistic statement 
• A portfolio containing visual representation (video, photographs) of your directing work
• Biography 
• CV

Once the application and pre-screening materials are submitted, selected applicants will be scheduled by the Opera Department for a phone interview.

• The Stage-Directing program is extremely competitive with no more than two students enrolled per year
• Applicants should already have earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree or have equivalent professional experience as a stage director in the field
• Proficiency in French, German and Italian and Music literacy is preferred
• Applicants are expected to have already directed fully-staged theatre, music theatre and/or opera productions either with piano or orchestra