What is the structure of the Global Talent Programme? Expand The NOS runs a nine-month full-time Global Talent Programme which begins in September each year. The Programme is open to singers and repetiteurs. All Young Artists benefit from: intensive one-to-one musical and vocal coaching; close links with the six main UK opera companies who monitor their progress; a strong emphasis on ensemble work; regular acting and movement sessions; professional coaches drawn from British and European opera houses; individual coaching in Italian, French and German; sessions on professional resilience; and much more. Please see the Programme page for more details.
Can anyone apply? Expand The application process is open to those aged 18 and above. There is no upper age limit for applying to the NOS. However, applicants are reminded that the Programme is intended to benefit extremely gifted singers and repetiteurs who are at the beginning of their careers in opera.
How many places are there? Expand We can usually accept a maximum of 12 singers and 4 repetiteurs onto the Global Talent Programme each year.
What repertoire do I need to prepare for the auditions? Expand First Round Audition The following will be required: Video recordings of two pieces, both of which should be opera (not song or oratorio). Ideally, two languages should be represented, and we advise you to choose contrasting pieces, to best demonstrate your vocal, musical and dramatic skills. Each recording must consist of a single take without editing, and your pianist must be in shot. You are allowed to use multiple camera angles if you wish, providing all the footage comes from the same take. Videos of you singing in opera productions will not be accepted. All videos must have been recorded within the last six months. These videos must be uploaded to YouTube. Please label the videos with the following format: Aria_Composer. Please do not include your name as part of the video title. On your YAP Tracker application, you will be asked to provide links to these videos. Second Round Audition Shortlisted candidates will be invited to audition live at the Studio, in front of a panel made up of the NOS Artistic Team and representatives from each of our six partner opera companies. The following will be required: Four pieces, all of which should be opera (not song or oratorio). At least two languages should be represented, and at least one piece should be in English. Additionally, at least one selection should be from a contemporary opera (post-1980). You may, if you wish, include the same arias that you submitted for your First Round audition. You can expect to sing two of these pieces during your audition. You will be invited to choose the first piece that you sing, and the panel will choose what they would like to hear afterwards. NOS will provide a highly qualified and experienced accompanist for the Second Round live audition process. You will not be able to bring your own pianist for your live audition, or for any warm-up or practice time. This is for the sake of consistency and to ensure that all applicants can be assessed equally and without prejudice.
Will I need to pay an audition fee? Expand Applications must be made via the YAP Tracker website which will include a fee of £15. Should you be invited to the Second Round live auditions, there will be a further fee of £40, which will cover all aspects of the Second Round audition process. This fee will need to be paid in full in order to confirm your audition place.
How do I complete my YAP Tracker application? Expand Once you have registered on YAP Tracker, you can log in and view the NOS online application form. You then need to enter all the information you can provide into the form. The form also asks you to upload a headshot. On the form, we ask you to pay the £15 fee by card. The link to pay will be on the application form, but it is not paid through the YAP tracker website. When you are sure everything is correct, click submit. After this, you will need to log back in to YAP Tracker regularly, to check whether your referees have submitted their references. You do not need to pay for a YAP Tracker membership in order to apply to the NOS. Free 'guest' memberships are available on YAP Tracker for those who only wish to have access to the NOS application form. You can use your free 'guest' membership account to apply to the NOS, but you will not have access to listings / opportunities from other companies on YAP Tracker. When you sign up for the free 'guest' membership, you will be given a username and password to use every time you want to look at the status of your NOS application. If you have problems uploading any part of your application or have other technical issues with YAP Tracker, please contact the YAP Tracker help team on [email protected]. We recommend that you give yourself plenty of time to submit your application before the deadline, just in case you experience technical difficulties.
How do I submit references? Expand You are required to submit two references by Wednesday 10 January at 11.59pm. References should be written by music or theatre professionals (for example directors, agents, established singers, accompanists, heads of departments), but not your current singing teacher or any previous singing teachers. The recommendations must be written specifically for this application and uploaded by your referees directly to the YAP Tracker website. When you submit your application form, the YAP Tracker website will automatically send an email to each referee, asking them to upload a reference directly onto the YAP Tracker website. It is your responsibility to make sure that your referee has received the reference request and knows how to submit a reference. Make sure to remind them in plenty of time. References should ideally refer to the following: how the referee knows you and how long they have known you. their opinion on your: stage presence musicality suitability for our programme command of languages reliability learning speed working relationships with colleagues Where possible, references should be written in English. However, references in German, French, Italian or Russian will also be accepted. There is no word limit for references. However, as we receive so many applications, it helps if references are concise and relevant.
Where do auditions take place? Expand The first round will be by video selection. The second round of auditions take place in the National Opera Studio's Blackburn Hall: The Clore Building2 Chapel YardWandsworth High Street.London SW18 4HZ
Can I bring my own accompanist? Expand NOS will provide a highly qualified and experienced accompanist for all auditions. You will not be able to bring your own pianist for your audition or for your warm-up time. This is for the sake of consistency and to ensure that all applicants can be assessed equally and without prejudice. There will be no opportunity to rehearse with the audition accompanist. Music will be sent to accompanists in advance, so you don't need to bring any additional music with you.
Can I bring my teacher, agent, family member or friend? Expand Please do not bring anybody with you to your audition. The audition days are very busy and there is no space for anyone to sit and wait for you while you audition. If someone is travelling with you, please ask them to wait in one of the many nice cafés nearby! If you have access needs that require you to have another person in the room with you, please let us know in advance by emailing [email protected].
What do I need to bring with me? Expand Music will be sent to accompanists in advance, so you don't need to bring any additional music with you.
What happens if I am unwell on my audition day? Expand You should call 020 8874 8811 or email [email protected] as soon as you feel that you may not be able to attend your audition. The more notice you can give us, the better. We will do our best to talk through options with you, but in some cases there will be nothing we can do and the audition will be treated as a cancellation.
Will I get feedback from my audition? Expand Due to the number of auditions, we regret that we are unable to provide any feedback from the First Round. Following the Second Round, written feedback will be offered to all unsuccessful Second Round auditionees if requested.
Is there financial assistance for travelling to and from auditions? Expand We regret that we are unable to offer any financial support towards travel to and from auditions.
How do applicants from countries outside the UK get a visa to come the audition? Expand The National Opera Studio does not handle visa applications. However, if you are applying for a visa to come to an audition in person, we can provide a Letter of Invitation to support your visa application. This letter will also be provided for EU citizens following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, should this be necessary. Please email [email protected] if you need a Letter of Invitation.
Can I send my CV to NOS? Expand Please don’t send additional materials such as CVs to NOS. You will be able to give us all the information we need and upload your headshot in your YAP Tracker application. Additional materials will not be given to the panel.