PORTopera Announces Call for Auditions, Feb. 21-22

PORTopera HOLDS AUDITIONS FOR MAINE'S EMERGING ARTISTS PROGRAM AND THEIR SUMMER PERFORMANCE OF DON PASQUALE, FEBRUARY 21-22 PORTLAND, Maine ’Äì PORTopera will hold two separate auditions this February for upcoming projects. Chorus auditions for their summer 2009 mainstage performance of Gaetano Donizetti's comic opera Don Pasquale will be held Saturday, February 21 from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Auditions for their Maine's Emerging Artists (MEA) program will be held on Sunday, February 22 from 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. All auditions will take place at the Corthell Concert Hall on the USM Gorham campus. For Don Pasquale auditions on Saturday, February 21 candidates should be prepared to perform a song or aria, preferably in Italian, but English is also acceptable. An accompanist will be provided. Auditions must be scheduled in advance by calling (207) 879-7678 or emailing info@portopera.org (with the subject line "Chorus Audition"). Music rehearsals begin in June and staging rehearsals begin the second week in July. Performances of Don Pasquale will be held at Merrill Auditorium in Portland Thursday, July 30 and Saturday, August 1. Young artists under the age of 35 and with ties to the State of Maine (either through family, education or work) are eligible for an audition with PORTopera's 2009 Maine's Emerging Artists program. Applicants must submit an application form, headshot, resume and CD/DVD/VHS recording to: PORTopera, MEA auditions, P.O. Box 7733, Portland, ME 04112. Applications can be downloaded from the company's website at www.portopera.org. Applicants selected for an audition on Sunday, February 22 will be contacted by PORTopera in advance. MEA participants will perform a short opera in English at Maine and New Hampshire venues in June and July 2009 (rehearsals begin in early June). MEA participants will also perform in the Chorus of PORTopera's summer 2009 production of Donizetti's Don Pasquale, which will be presented at Portland's Merrill Auditorium July 30 and August 1. About PORTopera: PORTopera is Maine's only opera company performing fully staged operas with nationally and internationally acclaimed singers. PORTopera will be celebrating its 15th season in 2009 with two performances of Donizetti's Don Pasquale July 31 and August 1. For more information visit www.portopera.org.