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Opera Chorus

Who is the Pensacola Opera Chorus?

The Opera Chorus is a group of enthusiastic volunteer performers, who join us for mainstage productions, community events, and concert productions throughout the season. We have members of the Chorus who have sung in over fifty productions, as well as new members joining us each year. The Opera Chorus is a vital part of every mainstage production, serving as a large group of singing actors, interacting with the principal artists, and promoting our performances throughout the community.

About the Opera Chorus

Members of the Opera Chorus in The Barber of Seville (2022)

In addition to their work on our mainstage productions, the Opera Chorus also participates in a series of community engagement and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. They regularly serve as holiday carolers in December, as well as appearing alongside the Artists in Residence at “Pours & Encores” events in bars and breweries around town.

Our Opera Chorus is made up of a wide variety of people, who come to us from all around the area and from all walks of life. These are people who love to sing and are great team players. While we do add new members to our ranks every year, we also have a few dedicated Opera Chorus members who have performed in over fifty productions!

The role of the chorus in any opera production is one of the utmost importance. These singers take part in many scenes, interacting with the principal characters and setting the tone for the entire cast. Many of opera’s most beloved titles feature large ensemble sections, such as the “Anvil Chorus” in Il trovatore or the Brindisi in La traviata. In addition to their vocal forces, the chorus also serves an important role in creating action on stage. For example, Pensacola Opera Chorus members recently created a stunning river effect in our 2019 production of Florencia in the Amazon, even when they weren’t singing!

Opera Chorus members with principal cast of 2019's Florencia in the Amazon

2021-22 Opera Chorus

Soprano

Theresa Conner
Laura Dees
Mary Holway
Haley Jensen
Hannah Moore
Jessica Reeves
Sylvia Rockwell
Anne-Marie Schoonover
Ting Wang

Alto

Jennifer Adkins
Evelyn Aguirre
Chelsea Alberda
Saira Carr
Holly Caverly
Jessica Gillett
Elise Gordon
Vivian Luce
Corinne Moore

Tenor

Brian Swan
Susan Ward
Greg Watson
Evan Wheeler
Kalani Yen

Baritone/Bass

Stu Bugg
Curtis Cole
Joseph Decker
Michael Riesberg
Alex Rigsby

Sing with us!

2022-23 Season Productions

Forty Forward (40th anniversary concert with orchestra)
Performance November 12, 2022
Rehearsals begin October 18, 2022

La bohème (Puccini)
Performances January 20 & 22, 2023
Rehearsals begin October 4, 2022

Carousel (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Performances March 17 & 19, 2023
Rehearsals begin January 31, 2023

Audition Information

Auditions for our upcoming production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel will be held on Monday, November 28, 2022 at the Opera Center. These auditions will be for all ensemble slots, which includes some bit roles with spoken lines. We will be casting 20 ensemble members total. See below for audition requirements and details.

Audition Requirements
Each audition slot is 5 minutes. Please prepare one musical theatre song, preferably from a Golden Age musical (1943-1959). A pianist will be provided, as long as you bring a copy of the music inside a three-ring binder. You may also sing along to an accompaniment track; we’ll have a speaker available for you to plug into.
 
We will also ask you to read your choice of the below sides; we’ll read the other lines with you. This is just to see how you read and interpret dialogue—you are not necessarily reading for a specific part. The side does not need to be memorized for the audition.
 

For more details about the Opera Chorus, you can also reach out to Cody Martin, Music Director, at cody@pensacolaopera.com.

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