Javier C. Hernández, The Pint-Size Singers Hoping to Be Opera Stars, NYTimes, June 12, 2025. The article opens:
The Metropolitan Opera’s stage door, a plain entrance hidden in the tunnels of Lincoln Center, routinely welcomes star singers, orchestra musicians, stagehands, costumers and ushers. But a different bunch of visitors arrived there on a recent afternoon, carrying stuffed toy rabbits and “Frozen” backpacks.
They were children, ages 7 to 10, dressed in patent leather shoes, frilly socks and jackets decorated with dinosaurs. They were united in a common mission: to win a spot in the Met’s Children’s Chorus, a rigorous, elite training ground for young singers.
What it's all about:
Singing in the shower or in a school choir is one thing. But these students, who came from across New York City and its suburbs, were vying for the chance to perform at the Met, one of the world’s grandest stages, a temple of opera that presents nearly 200 performances each year. Chorus members have a chance at roles like the angelic boys in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”; the Parisian kids in Puccini’s “La Bohème”; or the street urchins in Bizet’s “Carmen,” to name a few.
“It’s a lot of pressure,” said Luca Aceves Baldissoni, 7, who was curious about how it felt to perform on a big stage. “Opera is really hard. I just hope I can sing well enough.”
The Children’s Chorus is one of the few such programs for young singers in the world. The children who are admitted undergo intensive training, attending free music classes twice a week, with instruction in singing, stage deportment and diction in a number of languages, including Italian, French and German. They sing in the chorus until about age 14, when they grow too tall or, in the case of the boys, their voices change.
They agree to comply with the Met’s strict rules. No yawning onstage. No playing with props. And absolutely no skipping rehearsals.
The audition:
With Piccolo at the piano, and their parents watching, the students joined together to sing “Happy Birthday,” the audition song of choice at the Met for decades. (Everybody knows the song, Piccolo said, and the octave leap in the third phrase is a revealing challenge.)
“Sing bravely!” he said. “I’m sure you’re all brave!”
Then the students took turns singing “Happy Birthday” alone. Piccolo tested their ability to match pitches on the piano and sing scales, and he peppered them with questions.
About performing:
The Met’s chorus attracts a mix of students. Some have grown up singing and have dreams of appearing on the Met’s stage or on Broadway. Others have little experience but are curious about opera. If they are cast in one, the children must attend all costume fittings, rehearsals and performances. The Met provides tutoring to make up for missed classroom time, in compliance with state law. Chorus members are required to have child performer permits from the New York State Department of Labor, and they are paid the minimum wage of $16.50 per hour for rehearsals. They get a flat performance fee of $33 per opera act, though they can earn more than $1,000 for solo roles.
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