March 3rd

Ash Lawn Announces

Local Auditions

111 4 th Street NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902

info@ashlawnopera.org • www.ashlawnopera.org

(434)293-4500 • Fax (434)293-0736

                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE         Contact: Susan Nicholson (434)293-4500

Ash Lawn Opera Holds Local Auditions

Perform with the pros! The Ash Lawn Opera Festival will be holding local auditions for members of the community interested in being part of the company for the 2009 season. Auditions will be held on April 13 and 15, 2009, from 4:00–6:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 500 Park St , Charlottesville , Va , 22902 . All ages are encouraged to audition; children and adults will be cast. Singers should bring one or two songs with them to the audition, as well as a recent photo. An accompanist will be provided. For more information or to schedule an audition, please call the Ash Lawn Opera office at (434)293-4500.

This season will feature two Festival favorites –Lerner and Loewe's Camelot , a musical based on the King Arthur legend, and Mozart's comic opera, The Marriage of Figaro . For Camelot, singers must be available from June 11- August 8. Performances are July 4, 5, 11, 12, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30 and August 1, 5, 7 and 8. For The Marriage of Figaro , singers must be available from June 26-August 9. Performances are July 18, 19, 22, 24, 29, 31 and August 2, 4, 6, and 9. During the rehearsal period, singers will be required to attend daytime rehearsals. All performances are in the evenings beginning at 8:00 pm.

The Ash Lawn Opera Festival is a professional opera company presenting fully-staged opera and musical theatre in the Boxwood Gardens of Ash Lawn-Highland, located near Interstate 64 and Route 250, 2.5 miles beyond Monticello on James Monroe Parkway . The Festival is committed to providing the highest quality artistic and educational programming for the community, Commonwealth, and nation.