Being a Jette Parker Artist

Artists receive a basic salary plus occasional additional payments for performing. N/As may occasionally be granted for concerts and recitals only when compatible with Programme commitments, but not for full productions elsewhere.

Both conductors and répétiteurs work as members of the music staff on Royal Opera productions and must have a high level of pianistic ability.

Applications

The Application Process

The status of the application appears on the YAP Tracker website and it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all elements of the application, including references, have been uploaded by the deadline.

A complete application must include all the following items:

• The applicant's CV (no longer than two pages)
• A recent photograph
• Two confidential references by industry professionals. The references must be written specifically for the application and uploaded by the referees themselves directly to the YAP Tracker website before the deadline. More information about the letters of recommendation and what they should contain can be found here.
• A completed Jette Parker Artists Programme Equal Opportunities questionnaire found at the end of the application form. Again, this information will not be made available to the audition panel, but will help the ROH to monitor and be accountable for its equal opportunities and diversity objectives

Conductors are also encouraged to upload two recorded examples of their work. Recordings must be accompanied by the titles of the pieces, the date they were recorded and they should credit any orchestra/ performers/ company or presenter as relevant.

When to apply

Up to 12 candidates will be invited to live auditions held 18–20 May 2022, for Opera Conductor/Répétiteurs to join the Programme in September 2022 until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Who can apply

Applications for the Programme are accepted from all countries and all nationalities. The Programme has no fixed age limit for applicants. The panel will consider the stage that artists have reached in their careers and where they will be in terms of career development potential after two years on the Programme.

In addition to having excellent technical facility, artistic flair and a desire to work assiduously, we are looking for individuals who bring a distinctive performing personality, artistic curiosity and an awareness of the social and cultural movements that shape the work. The desire to contribute as an ensemble and company member is essential.

Permission to work in the UK

Cost of applying

Registering for YAP tracker

YAP Tracker accounts cannot be shared. The system prevents duplicate submissions on any one account.

Applying via YAP tracker

Applicants will be notified as soon as possible after the deadline whether or not they have been selected for audition at the Royal Opera House.  We regret that we cannot enter into correspondence about the choice of candidates for audition, nor provide any financial assistance towards attending the auditions.

If applicants have problems uploading any part of the application or have other technical issues with YAP Tracker, they should contact the YAP Tracker help team on help@yaptracker.com. The JPYAP Assistant is not able to help with technical questions.

Submitting recommendations

When completing the application form on YAP Tracker, the applicant should include the names and contact details of their referees. The website will then send an automated email to the referees asking them to upload their recommendations directly to the website. Recommendations cannot be accepted in any other way. Find out more about how the recommendation process works.

There is space on the application to include the names and contact details of up to four referees.  All referees listed will be invited by the automated system to upload a reference.  You may find it a useful safety measure to list more than 2 referees in case your first choice referees fail to upload by the deadline, however the panel will only consider two of the references submitted. A minimum of two references must be uploaded by the deadline for your application to be considered.

Deadline for recommendations

It is the responsibility of the applicant, not the Programme, to chase and upload missing elements before the deadline.

If recommendations are still pending, it may be because the request email went into the referee’s spam folder. The applicants are themselves responsible for contacting their referees to check if they have received the request email. If one or both recommendations is still missing close to the deadline, applicants may enter contact details of up to two additional people in order to ensure they reach the required number of recommendations. See the YAP Tracker website for instructions for resending a recommendation request, changing referees’ email addresses and adding or changing referees, and email JPYAPAssistant@roh.org.uk to make changes to the referees if the application has already been submitted.

Contents of recommendations

There is no set number of words, but referees should bear in mind that the selection panel will review a large number of applications and appreciate clear and concise information.

References may be written in English, French, German, or Italian. References in any other language must be accompanied by an English translation (although this does not have to be officially certified).

Auditions

The Audition Process

Auditions will be held from Wednesday 18 May to Friday 20 May 2022 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD.

Round One: Wednesday 18–Thursday 19 May 2022

Candidates must prepare the following in the original languages:

• Verdi: Otello Act II, scene 4 to end of act 
• Britten: Peter Grimes Act II, scene 2 figs 58–70
• A complete act of an opera of the candidate’s own choice

Candidates should prepare these pieces both as a conductor/répétiteur and a coach. 

Candidates will be asked to sight-read during the audition, including passages of recitativo accompagnato. All candidates will be asked to conduct to an appropriate level (with one of the panel members playing), to sing recitative and to demonstrate their facility with languages.

Applicants should bring a second copy of the act from the opera of their own choosing.

Shortlisted candidates from the first round audition will be invited to a final audition on Friday 20 May 2022.

Round Two: Friday 20 May 2022

In addition to the repertoire from Round One, candidates must prepare the following:

·      Wagner: Lohengrin Act 3, scene 2

·      Puccini: Madama Butterfly Act 1 duet from "Viene la sera", fig 116 to end of act

As with Round One, candidates should prepare these pieces both as a conductor and a coach. 

All candidates will be asked to coach a singer on repertory chosen by the panel which will be given to prepare half an hour before the audition. 

Auditions are not available at any other time of the year.

Location of auditions

The audition panel

Bringing people to your audition

Dress code

Visas for attending auditions

Financial assistance for attending auditions