Opera doesn’t get any more affable or hopeful, or outright addictive, than when the annual come around.
Across the country, hundreds of young singers take the stage, one by one, showing off their skills via the genre’s splashiest arias. Talent abounds and so does faith in the future of an art form whose very existence can feel tentative at times.
Opera’s biggest star, won the singing competition back in the day, so it has an aura of possibility. Like contestants really do have the opportunity to get noticed by people who can help their careers.
But the auditions, run by councils in 41 regional districts, are local affairs, and relaxed. Singers hoping to make it to the finals in New York, have only to gain, not lose, so spectators can enjoy the event, cheering on the contestants who charm them the most. The event is free, though organizers ask for $10 to help defray costs.
The Rocky Mountain Regional Council has been around for 55 years now and not much has changed during that time. This year the event is moving to Gates Concert Hall in on the University of Denver campus.
In past years, the competition has been at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, the same place where stages its professional productions. The city-owned venue is expensive to rent and the council had been able to piggyback on days when Opera Colorado was leasing space for its shows.
But the company changed its schedule for 2015 and the council wasn’t able to foot the bill on its own.
“We operate purely on donations and anything we spend on rent detracts from award money,” said Stephen Dilts, chair of the Colorado-Wyoming District, which runs the contest here.
The council is all volunteer and raised about $29,000 for this year’s effort. Sixty percent of that will be spread among the winners. The rest covers the facility, Dilts said.
Gates Hall is smaller, though acoustically well-regarded and “looks like a miniature opera house, if you think of it that way,” Dilts said. Parking is easier, too.
The local event stretches over two days. On Saturday, about 50 singers will compete in the Colorado-Wyoming District Finals.
The top finishers go up against singers from districts in Utah and Nevada on Sunday for the Rocky Mountain Regional contest. That’s a more serious face-off with maybe six hopefuls still standing.
Judges can send one or two singers to New York. There’s a semi-final competition there March 15, then the finals on March 22. The event, on the heralded Metropolitan Opera stage, is always sold out.
The Nevada district is new this year. It will be the first time singers from Las Vegas show up in Denver. The district operates with support from the University of Nevada Music School, which has a long history of turning out top students.
“It’s only a half-mile from the strip, but it’s a whole different world,” Dilts said.
Ray Mark Rinaldi: 303-954-1540, rrinaldi@denverpost.com or twitter.com/rayrinaldi
METROPOLITAN OPERA NATIONAL COUNCIL AUDITIONS
Regional singers compete for a chance to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House. The Colorado-Wyoming District Finals start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and the Rocky Mountain Regional Finals follow at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Gates Concert Hall, Newman Center, University of Denver campus, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Free, though a $10 donation is requested. metoperaauditionsrockies.org
