Rehearsal Spaces:
Reviews
Dicapo Opera Theater
“I have been using DiCapo as my preferred audition space for several years. Esthetically I find it to be a good setting in which singers can present themselves, i.e. a theatrical stage (often times there is opera scenery from one of their productions on stage) as opposed to just a room with a piano. While the acoustics are certainly on the ‘dry’ side, which is something that the singers aren’t necessarily crazy about, they are preferable for me rather than an overly resonant space in which every voice sounds ‘large’. I believe it gives me a better gauge as to how a voice will project, and the impact it will have in the large hall in which Dayton Opera performs (2300 seats). The grand piano that they supply has always been in good shape and reasonably in tune. The amenities are fine in terms of waiting area, rest rooms, etc (there is no real warm-up space). The theater is not sound proof, in that you can peripherally hear some noise from the waiting area and from singers who might be warming up in the restrooms. There is also an adjacent childcare facility from which peripheral noise occasionally filters in, but I don’t have any problem tuning out any of these outside noise issues. It might be an issue for someone else.”
- Thomas Bankston, Dayton Opera, April 2007
Jazz at Lincoln Center – Rehearsal and Recording Studio
“Jazz at Lincoln Center is an excellent audition venue, although a bit pricey with additional ‘load-in/load-out’ (2 hrs beyond the actual audition times) and ‘piano rental/tuning’ charges. The room has acoustical panels which allow for 'tuning’ the reverberance of the space. The double door entry allows for optimal sound separation from the gathering/check-in/conversation of the adjoining hallway. The staff is exceptionally nice, although security measures are quite strict and require some extra pre-arrival arrangements. There is a Whole Foods in the basement of the Time Warner Center which is a great option for eating in, but can get quite crowded during lunch time.”
- Paul Kilmer, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, April 2007
Liederkranz Foundation – Ballroom and Concert Hall
The salient positives are the comfort of the spaces and large size. The surrounding streets are relatively quiet with very few noise intrusions from the outside. Unfortunately the general acoustic is rather flat and dull, and the ceiling is low, which diminishes the experience. The pianos are good, it is elevator equipped, and the staff is VERY helpful.
- Tyler Stoops, The Santa Fe Opera, April 2007
Riverside Church
“The Assembly Hall in the basement is better suited to main stage auditions than the upstairs ‘tower’ rooms which are quite live, acoustically, and are not good for larger voices but OK for young artist program auditions. While the Assembly Hall is also fairly live it is a large space allowing distance between you and the singer. In both cases, the Steinway grand pianos are serviceable but the lighting for the pianist can be poor. At all effects, one of the best redeeming factors about the venue is that it is one of the more affordable ones for auditions in the city. Denise Woods who manages the spaces has always been very good to work with and if you make your request very early, you can often choose which specific room(s) you would like. While Riverside Church is something of a distance from midtown area, it does have a subway stop within a few blocks making it fairly easy to get to for the singers (assuming the train is running). Due to its location, don’t expect to get much business done if your lunch breaks an hour or less unless someone is willing to come to you and even then the selection of local eateries for lunch meetings is poor compared to most other locations in the city (but, characteristically of NYC, there is of course a Starbucks close by!).Getting a cab has never been a problem if one is willing to walk a block over to Broadway.”
- Christopher McBeth, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, April 2007
“Overall, we like the Riverside Church Room10T. We are the only ones on the floor and we can have a proper welcome for those auditioning, which is important to us. I think the room gives a decent impression of what a voice sounds like to US, but I have heard that the singers are not particularly happy about the way their voices sound to them, and this is dependent (or so I've been told) upon where they stand in the room. I like the fact that there is an actual stage upon which they can stand and sing, with three steps leading up to it. This always gives the possibility for inventive use of the space, which of course only about 2% of the singers will dare to attempt. I also like the fact that while the room is big enough for a voice to fill it and sound good, it is small enough so that we don't have to scream at the auditioners (and vice-versa) in order to be heard. Unfortunately, Riverside Church is very far away from the rest of Manhattan and it can take quite a while to get there. There is acoustic bleed from the 9th floor. Sometimes this can be amusing, but most of the time it is annoying. The lunchtime possibilities are LIMITED. We have found that the lunch places other than the cafeteria are not quick enough to make lunch in a one hour break feasible.”
- Peter Kazaras, Seattle Opera, April 2007