How does one put together the perfect cast?
Our ensemble is composed of forty singers who are engaged on a permanent basis and can be deployed in a range of roles. A lot of the operas we stage require the entire ensemble, so the singers have to be as versatile as possible. At the same time, though, we try to give the best and most interesting roles to whichever singers are the current draws.

How do you get stars to come here?
There are not many singers nowadays who really pull in the crowds. Ten or twenty artists at most. My main job is to present as many of these big names as possible every season. We have a wide repertoire, which means one of the productions can be chosen specially to fit a particular singer. If a brilliant singer is itching to do a certain operatic character, then if she’s got the time, we’ll mount the opera.

What qualities are you looking for in a singer?
No. 1 priority is the voice – and it has to have enough body to fill our large auditorium. It can be as expressive as you like, but if people can’t hear it, we’re wasting our time. Next up is musicality and expression. But being able to work with other professionals is important, too. From the ensemble’s perspective, it’s like: Does the singer pick stuff up quickly? Is he dependable? How often sick? Is she a good co-worker? We look at all those aspects over the course of the trial year that our stipendiaries spend with us. The criteria are obviously not something for the audience to worry about. Some singers turn out to be unreliable, but of those there are a few who are so good that we take them on regardless.

What does potential sound like?
Potential should be seen as well as heard. Onstage, a singer is not just a voice – even if the vocal chords are the go-to skill. There are also personal traits and charisma to add to the mix. And ten or fifteen minutes into an audition you can see and hear what the person has to offer. The audience can form an opinion, too, over the course of an evening.

What part of the body decides: ear, eye, intellect or gut?
All of the above!

Name one no-no when a singer’s auditioning?
When a singer turns up for an audition only to tell you that they’re sick but they’ll audition anyway. They may as well stay home, because they’re in effect apologising for you having to make allowances.

When do you get blown away by an audition?
There are times when you just know you’ve struck gold. At times like that I have a chat with the singer immediately afterwards in the office to see if we’re compatible. Sometimes they’ve got a draft contract in their hands the next day.

What’s your tactic if you realise after five seconds that a particular person is unsuitable? Do you break it off or let them go on singing?
Naturally we don’t choke them off, out of respect. Sometimes they ask how they were and we try to be as diplomatic as possible. But when the notices lead with comments like “Her gown was gorgeous!”, then something’s wrong.

It’s not unusual that you have to plan a long way ahead. How can you be sure that two years down the road a given person will still be able to sing a particular role?
Well, you win some and you lose some. Many singers know within themselves and bail out ahead of time. Sometimes we have to make the first move. Not so nice.

What casting nightmares have you had?
When someone withdraws from contract at short notice. Singers are people, too, and occasionally someone wakes up in the morning and they’ve lost their voice. We don’t throw a fit; we just have to get a replacement asap. If it’s a difficult role, there may only be about 15 singers in the world who can pull off, so it may just be down to flight schedules. If the better singer is stuck in Novosibirsk, we’ll take the guy who can catch a plane from Frankfurt and be onstage in time.

What happens if someone drops out just before a performance?
That actually happens every few years. Once the guy playing Cavaradossi in TOSCA cancelled an hour before the performance. We happened to be rehearsing TURANDOT at the same time – and men who sing Calaf in TURANDOT usually know the Cavaradossi role. I went over to where they were rehearsing TURANDOT and told the man “Your rehearsal is over. You’re coming with me and singing Cavaradossi!”