<p>I have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to be singing for my college/conservatory auditions next year, but I'd like to get a few other opinions, besides mine and my voice teacher's. These are the pieces I'd be putting on pre-screening CDs as well.</p>
<p>Vittoria, mio core (26 italian songs)
Les Chemins de l'amour by Poulenc
Iris by Daniel Wolf (rare english art song that shows off my high B)
Chi il bel sogno di doretta by Puccini</p>
<p>I'll also have (in case they want to hear something else)
Caro Mio Ben (26 italian songs)
Lasciatemi Morire! (26 italian songs)
O Mio Babbino Caro by Puccini
The Nightingale and the Rose by Rimsky-Korsakoff</p>
<p>P.S. I'm definitely applying to Mannes, Boston Conservatory, Peabody, JMU, University of Denver and Lawrence University. I'll be singing from the list above, but taking into count what each school asks for.</p>
<p>Puccini requires a mature voice. Stick with your art songs whenever possible. Just my $.02.
But ultimately, sing what you can sing BEST. And I am just assuming that you are a young singer.</p>
<p>I agree to be very careful to choose songs that are age appropriate. My D's voice teacher does not consider O Mio Babbino Caro as appropriate for college auditions - I have talked to many other voice teachers who agree. I would think the other Puccini would fall in the same category. Certainly not everyone would agree but that opinion may be out there. When my D did sample lessons and discussed her rep, every teacher commented that it was a big plus that it was age appropriate and showed healthy technique. They do not want to be concerned that you are doing rep that might put a strain on the voice or that you have to "unlearn" some things later when that rep becomes important.</p>
<p>I have heard a lot of people say not to sing arias for auditions. At Boston Conservatory, they ask specifically not to hear them. Places like Mannes, however, require them, so if "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "Chi il bel sogno di doretta" are not appropriate, are there ANY arias that would be for the schools that I have to have them for?</p>
<p>There are plenty of appropriate audition arias for young singers, ask your teacher or some other professional who knows your voice well. Thats also a good question to ask any of the teachers at the schools you might be interested in. Some of my D's best audition recommendations came from a meeting she had with a teacher she would be auditioning for the year later.</p>
<p>I've heard various things about singing Puccini (specifically "O mio babbino caro"; I'm not really familiar with the other one on your list, but I assume it goes in the same category) for undergraduate auditions. If history serves me correctly, I do believe one of the sopranos who won one of the higher levels in the NFAA Arts competition about 3-5 years ago sang "O mio babbino caro." Again, this is one opinion you can take with a grain of salt (in my opinion, that competition is really a hit-and-miss in voice sometimes). I've also heard what catera45 says about how some voice teachers believe the aria is inappropriate in this situation. I think it depends on you and your current voice teacher when making selections: if the both of you think this is fine, I'm not going to stop you. But you are asking us for our opinions, and we appreciate that.</p>
<p>In response to your question about appropriate rep, you can't go wrong with some Mozart arias (along the lines of "Batti, batti," "Ach, ich fuhl's;" and "Deh vieni, non tardar"--those tend to be the more popular ones).</p>
<p>Thank you for all the quick replies guys! :)</p>
<p>I worry a little bit about starting a new aria completely from scratch that I would have to have a recording of by December 1. It's probably possible, but I'm hoping some of the ones I know a LITTLE might work.</p>
<p>Monica's Waltz (would this work in a college audition?)
Voi Che Sapete (would this be odd for a soprano to sing?)</p>
<p>I probably have time to learn Depuis le jour from Louise, but I'm not sure if that would be considered too mature for me, like the Puccini arias generally are. I'd really just like to play it safe and make sure my repertoire is COMPLETELY appropriate.</p>
<p>I think Mozart is a great suggestion but I can understand your not wanting to start something new. I think Mannes lists 4 options and you have to put 3 of the 4 on the CD so you wouldn't have to do an aria. Very few undergrad auditions require arias. There is someone who posts here whose daughter got into Mannes - do a search for "Mannes" and see who it is - I am drawing a blank. I think her D did an aria too. Another person who may be of assistance is "RaquelGonzales" - that is close to her screen name if not it exactly. She got into the top conservatories and is going to Juilliard so she may be able to give you some ideas as to what she and others found at those auditions.</p>
<p>Voi che sapete would not be unusual for a soprano. Cherubino is usually sung by a lyric mezzo in trousers these days. Whether it is appropriate for an undergrad audition depends on your voice and the preferences of the judges.</p>
<p>"Voi che sapete" and "Laurie's Song" are very good choices. "Monica's Waltz" is also good, though I haven't heard a lot of sopranos under 20 sing it. I'd hold off of anything from "Susannah" for a while.</p>
<p>And I just noticed, the Rimsky-Korsakov (in English, I assume) is a very bold choice, but it's appropriate as an alternate.</p>
<p>This may help - for those suggesting rep - Mannes requires 3 of the following on the audition CD:</p>
<ol>
<li>An Italian composition of the 17th or 18th century</li>
<li>An art song in German or French</li>
<li>An aria from an opera or oratorio (sung in the original language)</li>
<li>An aria or art song in English</li>
</ol>
<p>I'm a mezzo so I can't really help you with rep as much as I would like but I know that Laurie's Song is a great one and really appropriate acting wise too so you should be able to get a great performence out of it. It's also hard without being to vocally taxing.</p>
<p>Batti, Batti and Ach Ich Fulles ARE NOT GOOD CHOICES. Let me emphasise this again. They are not not not! good choices. Also every single mezzo I know sings Voi Che, so I don't think that would be a good choice.</p>
<p>What does your voice teacher suggest?</p>
<p>Hey were you at T-Wood to this summer? This is sophia.</p>
<p>Not to ruffle any feathers or take this thread somewhere it doesn't need to go, but why don't you think think "Batti, batti" and "Ach, ich fuhls" are good choices? I'm not a soprano, but 3 of my soprano friends sang one or the other for pre-screening CDs within a span of 5 years and got live auditions to Eastman, Oberlin, and Curtis, and I'm certain all 3 of them sang one at their live audition (only the girl who auditioned for Curtis didn't get in).</p>
<p>dramaticoinky,
Just because "Voi che sapete" is, by vasafaxa's recommendation "overdone," may mean it works.</p>
<p>Fortunately VP is not like MT in that overdone is not an issue. Singers are expected to learn a certain amount of the standard repertoire and auditioners expect to hear them. "Voi che sapete" is one of those.</p>
<p>If you have the opportunity to visit some schools, meet some voice faculty and/or take some sample lessons this fall, be sure to bring your repertoire list with you. When my D was in your spot a year ago, we found that teachers were more than willing to go thru her list and say "yes, yes, yes, no, should wait til you are older," etc. As well as make specific suggestions for her voice. Most offered to do phone/email consultations during the time before auditions if she had questions.</p>
<p>I have to agree with some of the other people who’ve already chimed in on the list you offer.</p>
<p>I’d like to start by saying that I was accepted to Mannes and several other top conservatories two years ago…I ended up at CCM. I know how difficult it can be to choose music for an audition.</p>
<p>I think that all of the music which you’ve chosen is fine for an audition, but one thing that I did do right when I auditioned was choose music that was easy for me.</p>
<p>I think at Mannes I offered the following:
Selve Amiche by Caldara
Zueignung by Richard Strauss
“Je pardu mon Euridice” from Gluck’s Orfeo (the Paris version)
Silent Noon by Barber</p>
<p>I think that you need to stick with a lyric light aria. I think that Voi che sepete isn’t a bad choice. Just don’t do anything that you could get tripped up on... “Ach ich fuhls” and “Batti Batti” at best will make you look good while showing them you’ve mastered skills that they don’t care about for an Undergraduate applicant – at worse you are showing them problems. Maybe Laurie’s Song, or maybe something from an Oratorio, do you know any Handel? I think that’s usually a good route to take in these matters and since they say an opera or an oratorio I think that a Baroque Opera or an oratorio would be a fine choice.</p>
<p>Don’t sing any Puccini. The aria’s you’ve pointed out are either overdone, or too heavy for such a young singer. And unless you have a high float that rivals Cabelle, Price and Scotto you really shouldn’t take on Dorretta.</p>