REGISTER FOR THE 2024-25 NATIONAL AUDITIONS NOW!
Singers of the next generation, the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal is pleased to announce the details of its National Auditions for the 2024-2025 season.
A top-tier artists’ residency for Canadian opera singers and pianist-vocal coaches, the Atelier lyrique operates within the Opéra de Montréal and serves as a springboard to professional life. Offering innovative, bilingual, and personalized training that covers the full spectrum of an opera artist’s development, the Atelier ensures that each of its members can reach their full potential, while fostering their autonomy, leadership, and self-achievement.
Deadline for submitting your application: Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at midnight. Candidates must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants at the time of registration. Callback dates for finalists will be from November 6 to 9, 2023 in Montreal.
In the interests of fairness and to improve artists’ access to the auditions, there is no registration fee required.
Please provide video links to two opera arias, as varied as possible, with piano or orchestral accompaniment, recorded during the 2022-2023 season and representative of your current abilities. Links to your recordings must point to YouTube, Vimeo, a website, or some other online platform.
Note: an iPhone or Android quality recording is sufficient. It may be recorded in studio or before an audience. Keep in mind that the acoustics should showcase your voice. Videos must show the candidate in full shot and should not be edited (one take per aria).
WHAT YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR ONLINE FORM
- Curriculum vitae with a photo (1 page maximum);
- Photo;
- Birth certificate and proof of residence; you must be Canadian citizen or landed immigrant at the time of registration;
- A one-page document answering the two motivation questions asked on the form (500 words);
- Link (YouTube, website, or other) to recordings of your 2 opera arias;
- REFERENCES: contact info (name, title, phone number) of two professionals in the music community who can attest to the quality of your work and your professional ethics.
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- The Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal welcomes applications from all artists without distinction, exclusion, or preference based on gender, sex, ethnicity, origin, physical appearance, religion and beliefs, values, age, education, language, sexual orientation, etc.
- Candidates will be contacted by email if they are invited to the National Auditions finals and the 2023 Talent Gala.
- National Auditions finals: finalists will be evaluated from Monday, November 6 to Thursday, November 9, 2023, in Montreal, and will take part in the 2023 Talent Gala (4 compulsory days).
- Documents submitted become the property of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal and will not be returned.
- Given the number of candidates in the preliminary auditions, we cannot provide feedback from the jury. Thank you for your understanding.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE USEFUL INFORMATION FOR YOUR REGISTRATION BY DOWNLOADING OUR REPERTOIRE.
Should you have any questions, please contact Marie Maous, Program and Nationa Auditions Coordinator at mmaous@operademontreal.com.
National Auditions Partner
Mrs. Vanda Treiser and in memory of M. Benjamin Treiser.
BE PART OF THE FAMILY
By joining the Atelier lyrique, you may be among the privileged few in the Canadian operatic world to take advantage of a springboard for professional development at the Opéra de Montréal. This season, 10 singers and 2 pianists follow a costumized program, to ensure the full realization of their potential and encourage their autonomy and their leadership.
PORTRAITS
BEYOND THE VOICE
Delve into the personal journeys of three graduating artists who share their story simply and sincerely. Read about their human and artistic development over the past few years, as they find their unique voice thanks to the supportive and benevolent environment of our programme.
Texts : Véronique Gauthier
Photos : Marianne Charland
Sarah Dufresne, soprano
“I felt that I just clicked with everyone. I also got the impression that the Opéra de Montréal was a very welcoming company that makes us feel at home, and that was really important for me in order to transition more comfortably from student life to professional life.”
Vanessa Croome, soprano
“Opera is truly a mental game. You work so hard to be able to perform and give it your best for a short period of your life. You need to be mentally stable and build effective preparation strategies.”
>> Discover Vanessa's journey
Geoff Schellenberg, baritone
“I have never improved as much as I have in the past two years. All the professionals I worked with here are amazing. I have only good things to say!”
Kirsten LeBlanc, soprano
« When you’re in school, your goal is to succeed rather than create something. Here, I explored what it is I had to say and why I wanted to sing. »
AN INNOVATIVE AND PERSONALIZED TRAINING
ON THE BIG STAGE
Join the Atelier lyrique and take part in the great productions presented on the stage of Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier alongside singers of international reputation. In 2021-2022, the artists in residence participated to Le flambeau de la nuit, a Quebec new work by Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse and Olivier Kemeid. In 2019-2020, tenor Spencer Britten, bass Brenden Friesen and bass-baritone Jean-Philippe Mc Clish had the tremendous opportunity of being cast in Eugene Onegin alongside star soprano Nicole Car and Quebec baritone Etienne Dupuis, a graduate of the Atelier lyrique with an enviable career. Then, Jean-Philippe collaborated with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and a roster of extraordinary singers in Fidelio. Finally, mezzo-soprano Florence Bourget sang the role of Alice in Lucia di Lammermoor as well as Angel 2 in Written on Skin.
Pictured to the left: Artists of the Atelier perfonming in Le flambeau de la nuit, Spencer Britten as Triquet (Eugene Onegin), Elizabeth Polese as Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto), Florence Bourget as Angel 2 (Written on Skin) and Florence Bourget & Andrea Núñez as Rhinemaidens (Das Rheingold). (Credit: Yves Renaud)
ONE ON ONE WITH THE ORCHESTRA
Imagine rehearsing for 15 hours with rising star conductor Nicolas Ellis and his Orchestre de l’Agora; then presenting to the public, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the fruits of your labour. A unique experience that only the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal offers among Canadian training programs.
FRUITFUL COLLABORATIONS, INSPIRING MENTORS
Several times a year, the Atelier lyrique invites key players from the opera world to come and give master classes to our artists in residence. During the last seasons, they have benefited from the knowledge and experience of great artists including Daniel Okulitch, Nicole Car, Etienne Dupuis, Michael McMahon and Elliot Madore.
Pictured to the left: Atelier lyrique resident artists taking part in master classes with Anthoni Maloni, Nicole Car, Phillip Addis and Ariane Girard. (Credit: Kevin Calixte et Brenden Friesen)
a new 100% feminine Quebec creation
In 2018, following the very first Mécénat Musica 3 Femmes competition, we invited the two recipients of the prize—composer Laurence Jobidon and playwright Pascale St-Onge—to compose the opera L'hiver attend beaucoup de moi. In 2019-2020, two of our singers-in-residence had the wonderful opportunity to be the first artists to perform the roles in this new work from Quebec, presented in world premiere. How has this experience allowed them to develop as artists?
A WORD FROM FORMER ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
Catherine Daniel, mezzo | Atelier 2008-2010
''My experience in the Atelier lyrique was invaluable: the training, support and networking have been instrumental in preparing me for the professional world.''
Credit: Yves Renaud (Das Rheingold, 2019, Opéra de Montréal)
Julie Boulianne, mezzo-soprano | Atelier 2003-2006
'' My years at the Atelier lyrique were transformative. They allowed me to discover and define the artist I am today, and they gave me the momentum for what came next ! ''
Credit: Yves Renaud (Cendrillon, 2010, Opéra de Montréal)
Etienne Dupuis, baritone | Atelier 2002-2005
'' Learning the inner workings of the professional opera world, while being guided, helped, and protected... The Atelier lyrique is the crew that teaches you how to become the captain of your own ship. ''
Credit: Yves Renaud (Eugene Onegin, 2019, Opéra de Montréal)