Virginia Opera’s Emerging Artists

Performing Opportunities

Participants in Virginia Opera's Emerging Artists perform leading and comprimario roles and/or cover leading roles in the company’s mainstage productions. Additionally, some emerging artists perform leading roles in fully-staged Education and Community Outreach productions that tour schools throughout the state of Virginia. Community concerts and company promotional concerts offer artists the opportunity to perform standard arias and ensembles in concerts with piano. Emerging artists are regularly re-engaged for main stage productions in future seasons.

Study Opportunities

Each participant receives regular coachings with members of Virginia Opera’s Artistic Staff, which include Principal Coach Laura Friesen, Resident Conductor Adam Turner, Artistic Administration Director Andrew Chugg and various guest conductors, directors, and singers. Master classes are held throughout the season covering topics such as resume preparation, auditioning techniques, stagecraft and foreign languages.

Our program provides exceptionally talented emerging artists with a seasonal residency program that offers an extensive schedule of performing opportunities in the context of a professional training program. Artists receive weekly compensation, plus housing and transportation to Virginia.

Virginia Opera is committed to finding and training the outstanding artists of tomorrow. Those selected to participate in the program will be challenged and supported by an outstanding staff.

Apprentice Coaches

Education and Community Outreach Performance Opportunities

Apprentice Coaches must serve as musical directors and pianists for Education and Community Outreach productions. They also serve as coaches for the resident young artists, preparing them for their mainstage roles, cover roles, and concerts. Coaches learn the basics of artistic administration and company management by serving as on-site tour managers, as well as, providing coaching for the young artists' personal repertoire. Apprentice coaches are adjunct members of the mainstage musical staff. They are scheduled to serve as pianists for cover rehearsals.

Mainstage Performance Opportunities

Apprentice coaches are adjunct members of the mainstage musical staff. They are scheduled to serve as rehearsal pianists in several mainstage productions and serve as pianists for cover rehearsals. Community concerts and company promotional concerts offer apprentice coaches the opportunity to perform for a variety of audiences.

Study Opportunities

Each participant receives coachings from Principal Coach Laura Friesen and Resident Conductor Adam Turner. Coaches will receive training and support from administrative staff to aid in tour management. The in-house artistic staff offers classes in resume preparation and auditioning techniques during the course of the season. Master classed are held with visiting stage directors and other distinguished guests throughout the season.

Candidate Qualifications

Apprentice coaches should have attained at least a Bachelor of Music degree in piano and have exceptional experience in vocal accompanying. Individuals should be capable of managing artists and overseeing non-artistic aspects of the Virginia Opera's Emerging Artists.

Apply to the Program

Please send your resume and a cover letter via e-mail to Andrew.Chugg@vaopera.org. We would also welcome an MP3 of your playing.

The Audition

For the audition, please prepare a Mozart finale and a 10-minute excerpt from a standard opera by Puccini, Verdi, Strauss or other romantic composer. You will also be asked to sing vocal lines in order to demonstrate your understanding of the intergration between the vocal lines and the orchestra.