I just chatted with a a ZAV agent and a couple of things stood out. First, the good news: if you’re really a LOW Bass they’re looking for you. Not a baritone with a sort of low extension. They know the difference so don’t think you can fake it, but if you’re the real deal there’s probably a place for you here. They have a lot of local singers to hear-Musikhochschule graduates and out of work singers (ZAV is part of the national employment agency so they have certain obligations which are governmentally determined. The bad news: lyric mezzos and lyric sopranos probably won’t even get heard by ZAV. They already have lots of them who speak German so you’re unlikely to get an audition. Believe me, I am sorry, but that’s the situation. If you’re REALLY special you might have a chance with a private agent but it’s tough.
The agent I talked to is also very well disposed towards Latin/SouthAmerican singers. Not only are they often vocally well trained, but because they already speak two or three languages the agent can trust them to learn German. She doesn’t trust Americans to do the same and this has become a disadvantage. Even singers who make it into the higher level opera studios like Hamburg or München mostly speak English. You can’t do this in mid level theaters. Many operas have German dialog and these days theaters schedule more and more operetta and musicals. You have to communicate to the audience in their own language. The lesson is clear: if you want to work here, you have to learn to speak German!
Side note: if you’re looking for a good German teacher, check out our recent interview with German language teacher, Lorna Price