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Repertoire FAQ

Questions:

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Would an Aria from Gilbert & Sullivan fulfill the Aria requirements? The specific one I'm thinking of is "When Frederick Was a Little Lad" from Pirates of Penzance. Thanks!
There are some non-opera arias/songs accepted, but this is not one of them.  You may find the list of accepted pieces here.

Would you allow Mozart's Ridente la calma as aria for division V?
No, this would fulfill the requirement for One Italian, French, German, or Spanish art song performed in the original language.

If you sang a piece recently in a local (e.g., Greater Houston) NATS competition, are you not allowed to use it as one of your selections at the regional level?
There is no rule prohibiting the use of a piece from a local level audition again at the regional level.

Are the Twenty-four/twenty-six Italian Songs and Arias considered art songs or arias?
If the singer is in category III, IV, V, or VI, ANY repertoire found in the Twenty-four/twenty-six Italian Songs and Arias books may be considered as art songs AND/OR as opera arias, regardless of origin.
If the singer is in category VII or above, ANY repertoire found in the Twenty-four/twenty-six Italian Songs and Arias books may be considered as art songs ONLY, regardless of origin.
Any comparable literature found outside the Twenty-four/twenty-six Italian Songs and Arias books, regardless of composer, will be considered only as the composer originally intended, either as an aria OR an art song.

 

Can an art song called “Vocalise” fulfill a category?
Yes. A song without words, usually titled “Vocalise,” may fulfill the requirement for an art song. Use the composer’s nationality to select the correct category of art song. For example, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise may be sung at the college level for repertoire selection 3: “One art song sung in English selected from any national genre NOT represented in the above category.” In advanced classifications, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise may be sung for repertoire selection 6: “One art song sung in English selected from any national genre NOT represented in #3, 4, or 5 above.”

What about literature in Russian, Czech, Catalan, or any other language besides French, German, Italian, and / or Spanish?
Art songs: Texoma NATS student auditions do not allow any art songs written in foreign languages besides French, German, Italian, or Spanish. While the teacher of the singers may have access to an excellent Russian, Czech, Catalan, Korean, or Latvian (in other words, any language other than French, German, Italian, or Spanish) diction coach, other languages are not, as yet, part of traditional diction studies for vocal music majors in the United States. Therefore, in order to assure a certain level of expertise by the judging panel, language requirements must stay within those traditionally taught at the university level.
Opera arias: Texoma NATS Student Auditions DO allow Russian opera arias that are found in the standard operatic literature collections.

Handel and Purcell literature: art song or opera aria?
If Handel wrote a piece as an aria, to be accompanied by orchestra, usually for an opera or an oratorio, it is an aria. If he wrote a piece as an art song, to be accompanied by keyboard, it is an art song.
Purcell wrote one opera, Dido and Aeneas. Pieces from his “dramatic works” and “semi-operas” are considered art songs for Texoma NATS Student Auditions. Solo literature from his cantatas are considered cantata arias.

Can a cantata aria be used in the “oratorio aria” category?
Yes. You will note that in the current Texoma Student Auditions Booklet, every reference to “oratorio” has been replaced with “oratorio/cantata”

Are there any non-art songs that are allowed to fulfill the “art song” category?
Texoma NATS Student Auditions accepts spirituals and arrangements of folk songs in the “art song” category. Hymn arrangements and contemporary Christian literature are not accepted.

Are there any non-opera arias that are allowed to fulfill the “opera aria” category?
Yes. Texoma NATS has developed a tradition of accepting these few particular pieces as “opera arias,” although they are arguably NOT opera arias. For questions regarding a non-opera aria not listed below, contact the current Auditions Chair.
Soprano:

  • Art is calling for me, from The Enchantress, Herbert
  • Czardas, from Die Fledermaus, Strauss
  • Glitter and be gay, from Candide, Bernstein
  • Green finch and linnet bird, from Sweeney Todd, Sondheim
  • Mein Herr Marquis, from Die Fledermaus, Strauss
  • Summertime, from Porgy and Bess, Gershwin
  • Vilia, from Die Lustige Witwe, Lehár

Tenor:

  • Dein ist mein ganzes Herz, from Das Land des Lächelns, Lehár
  • Lonely House, from Street Scene, Weill

 

Is it possible to make repertoire changes after the student auditions forms are submitted?
Yes. Email the Auditions Chair () as soon as possible. Please realize that the Auditions Chair has already given your repertoire selections thoughtful consideration. Every repertoire change requires the Auditions Chair to consider your changes anew. The last allowable time for repertoire change notification is at the Thursday morning judges’ meeting, at which your attendance is required.