# Putting on a Chamber Opera



## yuckymuffin (Feb 15, 2015)

I'm looking to put on a professional production of a short opera like _La Serva Padrona_ or _Pimpinone_ in my town in New Jersey. Princeton (my hometown) has a very rich classical music community: we have our own professional symphony orchestra, a conservatory, a major university with the music school, and many performance halls and musicians. However, Princeton has very little opera except for one fully staged production put on in June; it sells out a 1,300 seat house for it's 3 performances.

Does anyone have any tips for staging an opera? I don't have a strong musical background, but I've taken voice and piano lessons and know quite a bit about opera. How much does an experienced opera singer charge (one that's sung for some professional opera companies), and what's the best way to recruit them? What about a Pit Orchestra? And how long should one rehearse for a 1 hour opera with only about 10 performers? Thanks for any info.


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## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

Hello yuckymuffin. First of all, welcome to the forum. And second, I think it's terrific that you are interested in producing an opera. 

It seems like we have more opera fans (including myself) than empresarios on this forum, but I figured I'd throw out some thoughts based on my second-hand exposure to opera production. I think the starting point is to bring on a musical director for the project. I'm not sure if you had that role in mind for yourself, but professional singers will expect someone as experienced as themselves or moreso, well versed in every musical nuance of the opera, capable of running rehearsals and possibly accompanying on piano. At all but the most basic level, you'll need a stage director too. 

The music director would also take the lead in recruiting singers, either by advertised audition or he/she may arrive with some candidates in mind.


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