Maria Whitcomb emailed Syracuse Opera every year for the past three years asking if there were any auditions for choristers. Each year, she was disappointed. Eventually, she gave up.

Then, a few months ago, she heard Syracuse University students would be given the chance to participate, opening the door to what Whitcomb described as “a new era.”

A senior vocal performance major at SU, Whitcomb is one of three students selected to perform alongside seasoned artists from around the country in “La Bohème” and “My Fair Lady.” She attributed her success to hard work.

Those auditioning from Syracuse and the surrounding area performed for the small audition panel on Nov. 16. Each candidate came armed with songs and arias (expressive melodies) in a variety of languages. Only three Syracuse University students made the cut with three more as their understudies.

It has been a number of years since there has been an open call allowing students to audition. Previously, students have performed on an invitation-only basis. Lisa Smith, executive director of Syracuse Opera, said there were between 12 and 15 students at the November auditions.

There was a variety of talent at the auditions and she hopes to increase collaboration with SU in the future, Smith added.

Smith has changed the leadership structure hoping they can become more financially stable while producing quality opera. She said the opera is committed to finding the best voices for each production, and if those voices can be found in the local community, then that’s even better.

Whitcomb said although the opportunity is appealing, it’s unlikely to draw more applicants to the school of music. There isn’t a major of study devoted to opera at SU, rather vocal performance that encompasses all styles and a class that puts together an opera once a year.

She said although the opera is an attraction, it isn’t a selling point because Syracuse Opera belongs to the community, not the university. The opera has been undergoing a transition with the hiring of Larry Loh as the artistic director and principal conductor and Nancy James as chorus master and assistant conductor.

Eric Johnson, a professor in the Setnor School of Music has had an extensive opera career performing around the world. He used to perform at the regional opera house under the late Richard McKee.

After McKee retired, Douglas Kinney Frost replaced him as chorus master and conductor. Johnson said although Frost was a fine artist, his style was “not for everyone.” Johnson said many of the old choristers felt alienated with the change in leadership.

Johnson is currently in the process of preparing for the school of music’s production of “Die Fledermaus” in January but said he hopes to meet with the directors of the opera next year to reinstate what he said used to be a close relationship between SU and Syracuse Opera.

Whitcomb auditioned alongside 51 others and said female parts are often hard to get due to the overwhelming amount of sopranos at most auditions.

“The joke is that if you’re a tenor and you’re tall, you can get work,” she said.

Citing determination as the cause for her success, the hard work doesn’t stop now for Whitcomb with rehearsals for “La Bohème” beginning Dec. 22, “Die Fledermaus” going up in January and “My Fair Lady” opening in April.

Published on November 29, 2015 at 9:42 pm

Contact Rachel: rcgilber@syr.edu