GA SHO Cover for The Commander (Bass / Bass-Baritone)

This is an immediate opening, and offers may be given before the deadline; PLEASE SUBMIT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

The American Opera Project is seeking a Bass or Bass-Baritone singer to serve as the Cover for the role of The Commander, in the new musical work GA SHO, to join us for an upcoming workshop from MAY 27-29, 2022 in Rhinebeck, NY. While a Cover opportunity, this artist would be the featured performer in this role at the workshop.

Paid, with travel/accommodations provided. Priority given to New York or Tri-state area artists.

Inspired by a true story, GA SHO (“May You Be Loved”) is a 90-minute immersive audio theater experience that examines the life of Tsering, a teenage Tibetan nun who challenges the Chinese government with an act of peaceful protest that condemns her to years of brutal torture in prison. She survives by holding close to her sung mantras, her memories of family, her devotion to her fellow prisoners…and her belief that her torturers are her greatest teachers in the practice of compassion. The work is being created by composer Pete Wyer and librettist Melissa Salmons, with a team of Tibetan artists and consultants, including several of the Drapchi nuns that inspired the story.

For more information, please visit: https://www.aopopera.org/ga-sho

Role Description: The commander of a notorious Chinese prison, this character is based on conversations and written accounts of people who have been tortured. He hates the prisoners; his day job is to inflict cruelty in order to “break” them physically and mentally, but on occasion he feels bad for them, even perplexed. He arrived in Tibet with the belief that Tibetans were inferior and ungrateful for all the blessings that China has bestowed on them. That view is challenged by the nuns (especially those who are educated, like Tsering) and their perpetual, quiet insistence on keeping their faith. Over the course of GA SHO, The Commander will run a gamut of emotions as he fails to “break” Tsering and the others.

Requirements

Ethnicity: East Asian descent
Age: 40+, though younger singers considered given Cover opportunity

Vocal Requirements: Musically, The Commander’s voice is huge; range is from F2 to D4. Willingness to sing against pre-recorded music a must; the orchestration is provided through 24 audio speakers.

Application Instructions

Please confirm your availability for May 27-29, and email info@aopopera.org with your headshot, resumé, and a link to 1 vocal selection from the 20th or 21st century in English.

PLEASE NOTE:

Ga Sho does not portray the international relationship between China and Tibet in a positive light. We can not guarantee that there would not be repercussions by the Chinese government to the artists, careers or families involved. It is sensitive enough that many of the Tibetan artists participating are doing so anonymously. AOP has worked with a number of Chinese artists and pieces that have had a wide variety of perspectives on Chinese culture, and we are not a political advocacy organization.

Thank you for your interest in GA SHO, and we look forward to hearing from you!