Fall Opera Workshop Auditions - Patience

About the Show

Patience is W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s sixth collaboration, written after Pirates of Penzance and before Iolanthe.  It is a comic opera in two acts, satirizing the faddish Victorian aesthetic poetry movement, and fads, fandom and pop-culture hero worship in general.  The plot revolves around two rival poets: Reginald Bunthorne, who secretly hates poetry, but loves the attention he gets from the lovesick ladies of the village; and the infallible but miserable Archibald Grosvenor, gifted with (as he describes it) “a beauty which probably has not its rival on earth.” Both poets are in love with Patience, the village milkmaid, who has never loved anyone other than her great aunt.  Add to this mix a Colonel, a Duke, a Major, and a regiment of Dragoon guards who were recently engaged to be married to the ladies of the village, and who are trying to reclaim the ladies’ affections from these feckless “literary men.”  Our production reimagines Gilbert’s sublimely self-obsessed rival poets as British rock stars in the 1980s.

There’s a good synopsis here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patience_(opera)#Synopsis

Available Roles

• Colonel Calverley (Officer of Dragoon Guards) (baritone / bass-baritone) - A great baritone patter role, somewhat along the lines of the Major General from Pirates. A proud and serious military man, and easily the smartest person in the 35th Dragoon Guard (but the bar is not high). Recently engaged to Angela.
• Major Murgatroyd (Officer of Dragoon Guards) (baritone) - As second-in-command, the Major strives to emulate the Colonel, but can’t always pull it off.  When he finds that Saphir has left him, he is willing to try anything to get her back.
• Lieut. The Duke of Dunstable (Officer of Dragoon Guards) (tenor) - Tired of the luxurious life of a nobleman, the Duke joined the Dragoon Guard, hoping to be treated poorly.  Even so, he gladly accepts the deference of his fellow soldiers. (requires a good high A-flat).
• Reginald Bunthorne (a Fleshly Poet) (comic baritone) - The main character and all-around punching bag of the piece. Addicted to the love of maidens, Bunthorne has become an aesthetic poet.  He loves Patience, but when Grosvenor steals the ladies’ attentions he becomes spectacularly jealous.  Along with Patience, Bunthorne has maybe the most stage time out of any of the leads, and needs to be able to sing and remember some very rapid patter.
• Archibald Grosvenor (an Idyllic Poet) (low tenor/high baritone) - Grosvenor is God’s reluctant gift to womankind (as he’ll tell you).  An aesthetic poet, doomed to attract all maidens, his love burns for one person only: his childhood friend, Patience. Requires some beautiful lyrical singing, and some pretty sharp patter as well.
• The Lady Angela (Rapturous Maiden) (mezzo-soprano) - Angela was content with her boyfriend, the Colonel, until Bunthorne came along.  She believes that love cannot be true unless it is unselfish and is she who first gives Patience this idea. The lowest voice of the featured Maidens.
• The Lady Saphir (Rapturous Maiden) (soprano or mezzo-soprano) - Following Angela’s lead, Saphir has spurned Major Murgatroyd to follow Bunthorne.  She sings the middle voice of the three featured Maidens.
• The Lady Ella (Rapturous Maiden) (soprano) - The highest-voiced of the featured Maidens, with some legit high notes and amusing dialogue.
• The Lady Jane (Rapturous Maiden) (contralto) - The oldest, most aesthetic and most loyal of Bunthorne’s followers, Jane is very intense and seems to have a natural tendency to give others the creeps.  She is forever at her “dear Reginald’s” side, whether he likes it or not. A lovely contralto role, Jane has her own aria and a duet with Bunthorne.
• Patience (a Dairy Maid) (soprano)  - A young milkmaid who peacefully keeps to herself until she suddenly becomes the object of the poet Bunthorne’s desire.  She is driven by a keen sense of morality and considerable cluelessness.
• Chorus of Rapturous Maidens and Officers of Dragoon Guards

Auditions

Auditions are open to GHC students and members of the community of high school age and older (younger singers may audition with permission from the directors).  Singers should be prepared to sing an art song or aria of their choice (please bring sheet music for our accompanist), or prepare one of the audition selections linked below.  If you are interested in a particular role, you are encouraged to prepare the appropriate selection; otherwise, prepare one that corresponds to your voice type.  If you are unable to prepare one of the selections, don't let that deter you - we would be happy to run you through some scales and get a feel for your voice and how you might best be able to participate.

Audition Selections

Soprano (Ella/Chorus) - Twenty lovesick maidens we (p.13-15, rehearsal D to end of Ella’s material)
Twenty lovesick maidens we - Sop-Mezzo.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act I: Twenty lovesick maidens we...

Mezzo-soprano (Angela/Chorus) - Twenty lovesick maidens we (p.12-13, rehearsal B-C)
Twenty lovesick maidens we - Sop-Mezzo.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act I: Twenty lovesick maidens we...

Tenor (Chorus) - If Saphir I choose to marry (p.164-165, Duke’s material)
Baritone (Major/Chorus) - If Saphir I choose to marry (p.165-166, Major’s material)
If Saphir I choose to marry - tenor-baritone.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act II: If Saphir I choose to...

Patience - I cannot tell what this love may be (Prepare at least p.20/rehearsal A-end, cadenza is optional)
I cannot tell what this love may be - Patience.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act I: I cannot tell what this...

Bunthorne - Am I alone and unobserved? (p.55-end, first verse)
Am I alone - Bunthorne.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act I: Am I alone and unobserved?...

Grosvenor - Prithee, pretty maiden (p.65-66, up to Patience’s entrance)
Prithee pretty maiden - Grosvenor.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act I: Prithee pretty maiden...

Col. Calverley - The soldiers of our queen (p.27-end, verse 1)
The soldiers of our queen - Col Calverley.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGzLkxlKUmA

Jane - Silvered is the raven hair (p.131-132)
Silvered is the raven hair - Jane.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act II: Sad is that woman's lot (Jane)

Duke - Your maiden hearts, ah, do not steel (p.82-83, up to chorus entrance)
Your maiden hearts - Duke.pdf
Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (1987 Remastered Version) , Act I: Your maiden hearts (Duke,...

Schedule

Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, starting Weds, September 17.  There will also be several required Sunday afternoon rehearsals.  Tech/dress rehearsals will be Dec 8-11 at 6 pm.  Performances are December 12-13 in the Bishop Center for Performing Arts.  A complete draft rehearsal schedule will be posted asap.

There are not very many rehearsals here to pull together a show this size, so we will be relying on our singers to learn their music outside of rehearsal.