Auditions - 4 December 2022

Please consider Auditioning for a Principal singer role in OSE's 2023 production of Carmen

Auditions are hereby announced for Opera South East's production of Bizet's Carmen for performances on on Friday 21st April and Saturday 22nd April 2023. 

Auditions themselves are on Sunday,  4th December 2022 (certainly in the afternoon at least).  Please indicate your interest here and our chairman, John Rycroft will immediately be informed.  

Closing date is Saturday 26th November, after which you will be advised of your audition time. 

If selected for audition, you will be asked to sing a piece in English, preferably by Bizet though not necessarily from Carmen.
Director:   Stephen Brown
Conductor: Kenneth Roberts

Audition format

Please sing something in English by Bizet, or similar, and provide music score if not singing from Carmen.
 
All roles will be cast by audition.  OSE Member applications will be given priority for audition.  People interested in joining our chorus members may simply submit your details on the chorus application form at any time and join our chorus rehearsals starting 11th December 2022. ​

To apply for auditions, please indicate your interest on the form below and our chairman, John Rycroft, will be informed immediately on submission of this form.

    Application form to Audition for Carmen

    Max file size: 500KB
    Max file size: 500KB
Watch above this line once you hit [submit] to an audition application for any error messages or a confirmation!
If the form disappears then there should be a Thank you for applying message.

Our last few productions pre-covid were just great!  See the NODA write-ups (National Operatic and Dramatic Association).  In July 2015, OSE received a regional award in the NODA South-East Awards for Excellence 2014 - for Musical Excellence in OSE's production of Carmen, and this year (2019) we were awarded the 2018 NODA South-East Region award for Best Opera. Covid has delayed us of course.

About Carmen, OSE and our audition format

Please see the notes below before submitting your audition application...
Notes on Principal audition applications:
  • Principal roles rehearsals are generally on Sunday afternoons (or occasionally evenings), starting with production rehearsals probably from Sunday 5th February 2023.  (Chorus music rehearsals before that are on Sunday afternoons from 11th December 2022.)
  • Please provide with your application any holidays or other commitment dates on the application form if you will not be available for a rehearsal on any Sundays from 11th February through to the April production.  (See schedule below).  Everyone is expected for all calls for the week of the performances and the two Sundays before (i.e. the afternoon of Sunday 9th April; the afternoon & evening of Sunday 16th April, and every evening of show-week (Monday 20th April = Sitzprobe, Tuesday 21st = Tech Rehearsal, Wednesday 22nd = Dress rehearsal 1, Thursday 23rd = Dress rehearsal 2, Friday 24th = first performance, Saturday 25th = last performance - see timings below)
  • Principal performers seeking auditions should  sing at least one piece in English (preferably from Bizet)
  • We will then contact applicants via email (where possible) or phone with confirmation of your audition time if selected, and later with the results of your audition
  • Castings for principal roles will not be notified to the rest of the company until all the roles have been offered and accepted
  • New Members of the Chorus are always welcomed for all voice parts and we offer chorus training and a free trial period to cover an opera production. Volunteers for back-stage and administrative roles do not have to be held by OSE Members - there's a range of supporting & leading roles in terms of set construction, costume work, press/marketing and administration roles.  We'd love to hear from you, whether you are or are not interested in on-stage roles. Applications for chorus and back-stage roles are on on separate pages and do not need to audition.
  • Audition applications received by Wednesday 26th November 2022 will be considered for audition appointment by The Chairman (John Rycroft) on submission of this form.  There is no guarantee of later applications being accommodated even if you have potential for selection. 
    Please raise any problems with this auditions website form to Secretary (Greg Solomon) rather than the Chairman.

Notes on the OSE rehearsal schedule:
  • Sundays: Chorus-only music rehearsals will take place from 11 December 2022 and January 2023 under our Music Director, Kenneth Roberts.  These Music rehearsals generally run from 2:30pm-5pm, though sometimes from 6:30pm-8:30pm.  From February the main production rehearsals begin for the whole company, generally from 1pm-5pm. Rehearsals are mostly located in St Leonards-on-Sea.  Principal performers are only required from the start of production rehearsals with the Director commencing Sunday 5th February 2023 (t.b.c.)
  • There may be additional daytime Principal rehearsals  other times and locations as mutually agreed 
  • Principal music calls will be held for major roles, wherever possible on the Sunday mornings preceding the production rehearsals
  • Minor principal roles where singers are doubling chorus will need to attend chorus rehearsals
  • There may also be additional evening Chorus rehearsals in the run-up to the production, where the focus will be entirely on music.  Principals are welcome but not expected​

Provisional Schedule

Please provide with your application any holidays or other commitment dates on the application form if you will not be available for a rehearsal on any Sundays from 11th February through to the April production.  (See schedule below).  
Everyone is expected for all calls for the week of the performances and the two Sundays before (i.e. the afternoon of Sunday 9th April; the afternoon & evening of Sunday 16th April, and every evening of show-week (Monday 20th April = Sitzprobe, Tuesday 21st = Tech Rehearsal, Wednesday 22nd = Dress rehearsal 1, Thursday 23rd = Dress rehearsal 2, Friday 24th = first performance, Saturday 25th = last performance - see timings below)
Date                           Time (tbc)         Event                                             Venue
Sun 11-Dec-22 - 2:30pm-5pm - Chorus music rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 18-Dec-22 - 2:30pm-5pm - Chorus music rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 15-Jan-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Chorus music rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 22-Jan-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Chorus music rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 29-Jan-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Chorus music rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 05-Feb-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 12-Feb-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 19-Feb-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 26-Feb-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 05-Mar-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 12-Mar-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 19-Mar-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 26-Mar-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 02-Apr-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 09-Apr-23 - 2pm-5pm - Production rehearsal - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Sun 16-Apr-23 - 2pm-?pm - 'Hell Sunday' - St John's Church Hall, TN38 0RD
Show-week dates are currently subject to change.
Mon 17-Apr-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Sitzprobe
Tue 18-Apr-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Technical rehearsal and press photos - White Rock Theatre, Hastings
Wed 19-Apr-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Dress rehearsal - White Rock Theatre, Hastings
Thu 20-Apr-23 - 2:30pm-5pm - Dress rehearsal - White Rock Theatre, Hastings
Fri 21-Apr-23 - 6pm for 7:30pm curtain up - Carmen - Production - night 1 - White Rock Theatre, Hastings
Sat 22-Apr-23 - 6pm for 7:30pm curtain up - Carmen - Production - night 2 - White Rock Theatre, Hastings

Audition Location

St John's Church Hall, Brittany Road,  TN38 0RD

Primary Rehearsal Location

Primary rehearsal location:
    St John's Church Hall, Brittany Road,  TN38 0RD