Auditions - 19 November 2023

Please consider Auditioning for a Principal singer role in OSE's 2024 production of ​L'elisir d'amore

Auditions are now closed

Auditions are hereby announced for Opera South East's production of Gaetano Donizetti's  L'elisir d'amore for production performances on Friday 26th April and Saturday 27th April 2024.  This production, as for all OSE productions, will be sung in English.

Auditions themselves are on Sunday, 19th November 2023 (certainly in the afternoon at least).  Please indicate your interest here and our chairman, John Rycroft, will immediately be informed.

Closing date for audition applications is Wednesday 8th November 2023, after which you will be advised of your audition time, with selection dependent on applications. 

If selected for audition, you will be asked to sing a piece in English, though not necessarily from Donizetti.
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        Director:                                                Eleanor Strutt
        Musical Director / Conductor: Marcio da Silva

Eleanor Strutt

Marcio da Silva

Audition location: St John's Church Hall, Brittany Road, Saint Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex TN38 0RD

or Join our chorus

Audition format

Please sing something in English in a similar style
 
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 Sunday 26th November 2023

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

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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.

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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 in 2019 we were awarded the 2018 NODA South-East Region award for Best Opera

About L'elisir d'amore​, 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 21st January 2024. 
• 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 21st January through to the April production so we can structure rehearsals around principals' availability.  (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 14th April; the afternoon & evening of Sunday 21st April, and every evening of show-week (Monday 22nd April = Tech Rehearsal, Tuesday 23rd = Sitzprobe, Wednesday 24th = Dress rehearsal 1, Thursday 25th = Dress rehearsal 2, Friday 26th = first performance, Saturday 27th = last performance - see timings below)
• Principal performers seeking auditions should  sing at least one piece in English (though not necessarily by Donizetti)

• 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
• Audition applications received by Wednesday 8th November 2023 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).

Notes on the OSE rehearsal schedule:

• Sundays: Chorus-only music rehearsals are on Sunday afternoons from 26th November 2023 (for Peasants and soldiers of Belcore's platoon) under our Music Director, Marcio da Silva.  These Music rehearsals generally run from 2:30pm-5pm, though sometimes from 6:30pm-8:30pm.  From 21st January,  the main production rehearsals begin for the whole company, generally from 2pm-5pm, though sometimes earlier or with principal calls beforehand. 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 21st January

• There may be additional daytime Principal rehearsals at  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 21st January through to the April production.  (See schedule below).  

See schedule of rehearsal dates on the website: Rehearsal dates

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