Kyra IbelieveIamfitfortheroleasCarmen.

Ihavethevoicetyperequiredfor
therolebeingadramaticMezzoSoprano.Ihaveplayeddemandingroles

Leetz wherethecharacterswerebothdramaticandcomplex.Ihavealsoplayed
lighterrolesthatrequireacomediceffect.Carmenisneededtohave
OperaSinger charismaandcharmandIfeelmypastroleshelpmequalifyforthispart.

DramaticMezzo-Soprano

Itakecriticanddirectionwell.SmoothLegato,highandlowovertones
Skills arebothpresentinthevoice.Ilearnlanguagepronunciationquickly
(withtheuseofIPA).IhaveexemplarydictioninGerman,Italian,and
french.RangeisfromaG3toaC6.

MetropolitanOpera/Opera:LeNozzeDeFigaro
Experience
Role:Cherubino

LAOpera/Opera:Aida

Role:Amneris

TheViennaStateOpera/Opera:DieWalkure

Role:Frika

Education Juilliard/Doctorofmusicalarts,voice

SanFranciscoconservatory/Bachelorofmusictheory

References CarolineAltman,EdwardBerkeley,MaryBirnbaum,Edith
Dowd,EugeneBrancoveanu,ErieMills

Objective Role:CarmenOpera:Carmen,Georgesbizet
Company:SanFranciscoOperaHouse

Hi Christa, My name is Kyra Leetz and I am interested In what it takes to have a stable career in opera.

What does it take to get into a music based college?

There are two types: Conservatories - focused entirely on music
Private or public universities - that offer music degrees but you also take the same general education classes as
the other majors. Conservatories are more interested in your musical talent and potential, and knowledge (like site
singing, and theory) Public or private universities look at a combination of your grades and your musical talent,
and less on your knowledge as they figure they can teach you that starting at any level.

What are the best music based colleges; specifically for big voices?

This depends on who is teaching there at the time:

Indiana University has a very large Opera Program - you can also take a year off and come back to school if you
are offered a really good role somewhere while you are attending the school. Currently, Carol Vaness is teaching
there and she would be incredible to work with. I have seen her master classes when she comes to the Bay Area,
and I have a good friend who worked with her and it did miracles for her voice.

Julliard - for it's connections - it's probably the most well connected you could get coming out of a school - not
sure who is teaching there currently, but they have been turning out some very good mezzo-soprano's lately in
the last 10 isn years.

Philadelphia Academy of the Vocal Arts - this is not a standard music degree - you only get a certificate, but, it
turns out some of the finest singers of the last 20 years - it's a good option after your undergrad degree.
http://www.avaopera.org
it's very competitive but if you get in, tuition is free.

San Francisco conservatory - as long at they keep Debora Voigt on staff, possibly DePaul University in Chicago

Most prestigious summer programs:

Merola at SF Opera
Music Academy of the West - in Santa Barbara

What experience does it take to get hired at a big name opera house?

Roles! they want to see lots of roles at your college and semi professional companies plus have an Opera
Agent

What degrees do you need to teach voice?

to teach junior college or below - bachelor's degree
to teach undergrad- a masters
to teach a master's - a phd
most schools waive any degree requirements if you have been a major working opera professional
for example, my last teacher's wife could teach anywhere even though she didn't even complete a bachelor's
degree because she is one of the best voices of the 20th century.
she was awarded an honorary degree by lots of schools/conservatories by the only one she attended was the
AVA

What are somethings directors are going to focus on when they look at your resume?
Roles! Roles get you in the door. after that they only care if you can sing well, have whatever look and color of
voice that they want in their production and: they will ask around to teachers/summer programs/past directors to
see how easy you are to work with, if you're on time, learn quickly etc... so always bring your A game to every
project and program.

KyraLeetz

MsGardner

10Honors/6period

15,March,2017

Reflection

TheI-searchprojecthelpedmelayouttheimportantcareerdecisionsIamgoingtobe

requiredtomake.Ilearnedalotofinformationabouttheeducationofmusicdegrees.Aswellas

theimportanceofmakingconnections.Operasingersrelyonconnectionswithinfluentialpeople

suchas,professors,directors,andpeers.Makingbeingakindandcooperativecoworker

imperativetoastablecareer.IhadcontactedChristaDurand,aknownbayareaoperasinger.

ChristaperformsfrequentlywithSanFrancisco'soperaontapandpocketopera.Shewas

extremelyinformativeonwhatexperienceyouneedtogettointocertainprogramsortoattain

specificroles.Itwashelpfultogetinformationfromsomeonewithexperienceinthecareer,

ratherthanfromtheinternetoranalternatesource.Iwassurprisedtofindouthowmuchweight

director'sputonyourpreviousroles.Whichrequiresyoutoputoutaexemplarilyamountof

effortintoeveryperformance,andauditionyoutakepartin,becauseitcouldaffectcastingsin

thefuture.Ialsofoundthatmyvoicetypewillheavilyimpactmycareerandevenpossiblecollege

choices.Beingamezzo-sopranoIhavetosearchforprograms,companies,andcollegesthat

supportandteachbigvoices.ThiscanbehardtofindbutthejobhasbecomemucheasiernowI

havetheinformationChristagavemeandmyownpersonalresearch.Beingamezzo-soprano

alsolimitsmyaccesstolargerroles;however,thereismuchlesscompetitionformezzoroles

becauseait'sararevoicetype.Whilstthereareanabundanceofsopranosandonlyonelead,

thereforecompetitionforapartismuchfierce.TherolesIhadchosentoplayarefromseveral

wellknownoperas.IdecidedtodothisbecauseIfeltthatthesesroleswerediversebutwell
known.ShowingthatIamcapableofplayingcomplexanddiversecharacters.Carmenhasbeena

mydreamrolesincetheageof10,sonaturallythatisthejob/roleIwantedtoapplyfor.Igave

myselfafewnoteshigherthanmycurrentvocalrangebecauseIamworkingtowardsexpanding

further.Carmendespitebeingamezzopartisrequiredtohitnotesthatdon'tfitcomfortablyin

mychestandexpandingmyrangewouldbenecessarytofittherole.Thisprojecthasfurther

continuedmydreamofperforminginSanFrancisco'soperahouse.Ithashelpedbeastepping

stonetowardsmakingitthereoneday.Thisinformationhasshownmetheimportanceofbeinga

leader,andamodestcaringcoworker.Ihavelearnedsomuchaboutthedifferentschoolsthat

offervoicedegrees.Previouslythinkingthatanyuniversitywouldofferadoctorateinmusicand

voice.Inowunderstandthatjuillardisamorethansuccessfuluniversitythatdoesofferthis

degreeand8yearcollegeexperience.FurthermoreIhavebeguntograsphowtheindustry

functionsasawholeandwhereIfitintothatpuzzle.Theoperaworldisauniquepaththat

requiresdedication,cooperation,andconnections.HopefullyonedayIwillbeabletocallthismy

resumeandauditionforCarmenattheSanFranciscoOperaHouse.