Monday
Audition days at Wolf Trap are always full-on, and today we kick off at 10 a.m. I spend the early morning prepping: checking who’s coming in, reviewing their previous performances if they’ve auditioned for us before, and setting up the space at The Barns at Wolf Trap, our main performance venue. Hearing singers in the actual hall where they’ll perform most of their roles is essential as it gives me a much clearer sense of their sound.
The day moves in 10-minute increments. Each singer brings a list of five arias, and we select the second piece to cover what the first doesn’t reveal. It’s like a series of mini job interviews, but very high stakes and fast paced. After a morning block of 17 singers, we take a lunch break to strategise for the afternoon. The audition panel consists of me, Arianna Zukerman, Manager of Artistic Administration, and Renée Fleming, our Advisor for Artist Development. Renée dips into auditions as much as she can because she really loves this part of the process, and her perspective is always illuminating, especially when assessing a singer’s potential for future roles.
Afternoons mirror the morning: another 17 singers, followed by call-backs for anyone we want to hear more from. A call-back is our way of gathering more information and signalling which singers are moving forward. It’s brief – just 10 minutes to show everything – but it’s kind, in a way, because singers know immediately whether they’re on our radar for next summer.
We also see pianists during this round. Their audition spans centuries of repertoire, from Mozart recitatives to 20th-century works. They have to play beautifully, sing in tune and demonstrate idiomatic diction. They’re not singing operatically themselves, but they must be able to coach any singer in any repertoire. I tried the audition once myself – it was humbling. I would not have been hired as a coach!
Once auditions wrap, I finally have a moment for emails and budget work. Budgets are tricky this time of year, especially when we don’t yet know next year’s repertoire. Creative budgeting is almost an art form in itself. The evening at home is devoted to my six-month-old labrador puppy, Ben, and then some downtime with my husband. A British drama and The New York Times puzzles round out the day.
Tuesday
Another audition morning, followed by a meeting about the upcoming Wolf Trap Ball. This year’s theme is Bollywood, which is really fun and celebratory. Manu Narayan, star of the 90s A. R. Rahman musical Bombay Dreams will perform music from the show and sing the Star-Spangled Banner, so we have to coordinate instrumentation, rehearsal timelines and stage logistics with our special events team.
The afternoon is full of call-backs and additional auditions. Lunch is a time to compare notes, evaluate what each singer showed us, and plan for the rest of the day. Like Monday, it’s a long day in The Barns, but focusing solely on the singers while they’re performing feels like the respectful thing to do. I save email catch-up and other work for after auditions, when I can finally multitask.
I’m back at home in the evening, catching up with my husband and walking Ben. My husband doesn’t cook, but he does order excellent takeout! We’re lucky to have a few restaurants in our neighbourhood that have great food and deliver. It’s starting to get cool, so I’ve also got food prepared for a crockpot stew.
Wednesday
Midweek is quieter in terms of auditions, but busy in terms of planning. I review labour budgets for next summer’s Filene Center opera, our largest and most resource-intensive production. Days devoted to that production are days we can’t programme other shows at the Filene Center venue, so the financial implications for the summer festival are significant.
I meet with Arvind Minocha, President and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation, and the concert committee, which includes marketing, box office and development. We discuss programme specifics, customer service and patron feedback. I’m also balancing my role as Board Chair of OPERA America today, including conducting semi-finalist interviews for our national search for Marc Scorca’s successor after he retires in December. A lot of hours are spent talking through candidates with the transition committee, but it’s engaging work, and I appreciate the opportunity to be involved at a national level.
Thursday
Today begins the first “away from home” leg of our audition tour. My alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., and I’m in an Uber by 5:30 a.m. on route to Washington’s Union Station to catch a train to Philadelphia. On the tour, I travel with Arianna Zukerman and Christen Cain, who is our Logistics Coordinator. Christen keeps everything on schedule, captures audio and video of auditions, and ensures the team makes it to every appointment on time. The footage is invaluable when we compare singers weeks later and evaluate our initial impressions.
We’re at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Rittenhouse Square, hearing auditions from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., including singers from Curtis and AVA. Philadelphia is always a rich pool of talent. I meet up with Joshua Miller, our former directing fellow, who is now the Dean of Students at the AVA, and director Paul Curran, who happens to be teaching in the building and stops by. Paul directed our 2017 production of
La bohème.
Travelling provides the chance to reconnect with colleagues across the country, and I have dinner at Darling Jacks Tavern with Grant Loehnig, our former coaching fellow and head of music staff, who is now head of music staff at Opera Philadelphia and also on the music staff at Curtis.
Friday
I’m flying to Los Angeles today. I have a couple of virtual meetings that I take at the airport, then our plane ride is a mix of productivity and rest. I review repertoire, refresh familiar pieces and explore potential new operas. With nearly 1,300 applications this year, we’ll hear roughly between 460 and 480 singers in these live auditions. Our shortlist currently focuses on western operatic repertoire, though new works are also considered, especially chamber pieces for The Barns or works seeking a second production. Programming decisions also factor in orchestra size and logistical feasibility.
Arriving in LA, I stretch my legs with a walk to Central Market, enjoy a late lunch and touch base with colleagues. Despite the short trip – roughly 36 hours – we fit in a bit of the city’s energy while staying on Eastern time. I also basically eat my weight in pastry today at Bottega Louie (macarons!) and Pitchoun (the best croissants).
Saturday
Early mornings on the West Coast are brutal for someone used to starting at dawn. After a hotel workout and some yoga to loosen up after hours of sitting, I spend the morning focused on work. Travel can be physically demanding, especially when you’re listening intently for eight hours a day. A little movement helps keep the mind sharp.
Auditions take place at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where we hear young artists ahead of the LA Opera’s season opening gala. Alumni often stop by to say hello and seeing them is always a nice surprise and a reminder of Wolf Trap’s legacy. Today we have Blair Salter, an alumna of our programme who is now a member of the Wolf Trap Opera music staff and head coach for LA Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz-Stein Young Artist Program, sitting in on auditions. Multiple perspectives are essential; Arianna and I compare notes, but having an outside perspective keeps us honest.
After auditions, it’s back to the hotel for a quiet dinner and early sleep. The LA Opera gala is this evening but with such a tight schedule, I’m unfortunately unable to make it. I need to stick to East Coast time and rest.
Sunday
I’m up early to fly home! Once home, I spend the afternoon decompressing and catching up on chores. The day is simple: couch, blanket, puppy, cat and takeout pizza with my husband. Through auditions, meetings, travel and puppy walks, the week balances intense focus with moments of quiet reflection and connection. It’s a rhythm that, while exhausting, feels deeply rewarding.
