Tosca in concert
Performance July 26, 2025
Select Tulsa Youth Opera Students

Presented under the banner of Spotlight on Opera at Tulsa Opera, Puccini’s Tosca comes to life in concert for one night only. Filled with intense emotions and powerful arias, Tosca tells the story of Floria Tosca and her desperate struggle to save her lover, Cavaradossi, imprisoned by Scarpia for his political views. In the end, Tosca must make the most tragic of decisions. This production will feature select students of the Tulsa Youth Opera.

The Sound of Music
Performance November 15, 2025
Select Tulsa Youth Opera Students (see roles below)

Based on the true story of the singing von Trapp family and their courageous escape from the Nazis during World War II, The Sound of Music contains wall-to-wall hits such as “Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Every Mountain”, and of course, the title tune. Our semi-staged and costumed concert features award-winning Broadway star Jenn Gambatese (Tarzan, Wicked, Hairspray) as the irrepressible Maria; Tulsa’s favorite leading man Sam Briggs as the rugged-yet-refined Captain von Trapp; and international opera legend Leona Mitchell as the Mother Abbess. This production will feature select students of the Tulsa Youth Opera in the following roles:

Liesl von Trapp: Age 16, going on 17. Liesl is at that awkward age between childhood and adulthood and assumes a maternal role with her younger siblings. She is, however, still naïve and in need of her own guidance. She is secretly seeing Rolf, a young delivery boy who is on the verge of being swept up in the approaching Anschluss. B3-E5 (mezzo or soprano). Dance/movement experience.

Rolf Gruber: Age: 17, going on 18. Rolf is a delivery boy who is interested in Liesl. As an impressionable teen, he is aware of the growing political tension and is caught between his affection for Liesl and a need to prove his manhood. Range: C4-E5. Dance/movement experience.

Frederich: Age: 14. Friedrich is the oldest boy in the family and remembers what the von Trapp house was like before his mother passed away. He is learning to be a confident man, but with his father often traveling, he lacks someone to show him how. Range: C4-G5. Movement experience a plus.

Louisa: Age: 13. Missing her mother very much, Louisa has become quite skilled at playing tricks on the governesses, hiding toads in their pockets or giving the wrong name during introductions. But with Maria, it seems she’s met her match. Range: C4-G5. Movement experience a plus.

Kurt: Age 10, but almost 11. The youngest boy, Kurt is sensitive and pretends not to be hurt by his father’s absence. Though he misses his mother, Kurt greatly appreciates Maria from the start. Range: C4-G5 (strong falsetto a must). Movement experience a plus.

Brigitta: Age: 9, and keenly observant for her age. She is thoughtful and, as she says, “cannot tell a lie.” Range: C4-G5. Movement experience a plus.

Marta: Age: 7, very honest and forthright. Marta likes to enjoy herself and would like a pink parasol for her birthday. Range: C4-G5. Movement experience a plus.

Gretl: Age: 5, The youngest of the Trapp children, Gretl is soft-spoken and shy, but sweet. Range: C4-G5). Movement experience a plus.

Holiday Performance
Performance date TBD in December 2025
All Tulsa Youth Opera

Join Tulsa Youth Opera for a beautiful night of holiday music and cheer. You won’t find a more festive evening to share with all your friends and family.

Noah’s Flood
Performances June 5 & 6, 2026
All Tulsa Youth Opera

Benjamin Britten’s delightful retelling of the Noah’s Ark story is specially composed for children’s voices and performance in a church. The Tulsa Youth Opera will not only sing the roles, but will help create the set, props, and costumes for this charming, family-friendly show accompanied by the Tulsa Opera Orchestra and the Tulsa Youth Symphony.

Please note: All students cast in Tosca and/or The Sound of Music must commit to the full Tulsa Youth Opera season (September 2025 – June 2026). No exceptions.

Eligible students for TYO are entering grades three through twelve in the 2025-2026 school year. There are no geographic or demographic restrictions, and we are open to public, private, and home-schooled students.

High school seniors will be permitted to join TYO for the first semester only, and these seniors must have been in TYO for at least one year prior.

ALL students MUST be able to attend in-person rehearsals every Tuesday during the school year from 4:15pm to 6:00pm, with additional rehearsals and performances scheduled during the year, including the Holiday Performance in December 2025 and Noah’s Flood in June 2026.

We accept all levels of students, from beginners to those with years of experience. We do not require previous vocal training!

The short answer: as many as we feel will benefit from the program.

The long answer: Tulsa Youth Opera has varied in size from as few as 15 students to as many as 75. We generally have 80-120 students audition for the program, though this varies as well.

We do not have a set number of students we take each year. Many variables enter into the equation, including season repertoire needs, how many qualified students we hear, etc.

Parents of interested students should register for an audition on our website. There is no fee to audition or to participate in the program.

You will be asked to arrive for your audition 10 minutes early. When you arrive, you will complete an audition form. All students under 18 must have a parent present to complete the audition form.

When you are called into the audition room, the first thing you will do is sing your three-minute prepared song. A pianist will be provided, but please make sure you bring music for the pianist! Recorded music and a cappella performances are not permitted at Tulsa Youth Opera auditions. For more information on what to sing, check out “What should I sing for my audition?” below.

After you sing your song, you may be asked to sing some scales or vocal exercises so we can get a better idea of your vocal ability. Don’t worry — we’ll walk you through these, and they should be stress-free!

Parents, we don’t allow you in the audition room. Although it can seem helpful, we’ve found that the presence of parents tends to make students even more nervous than they already are!

The full audition takes no more than 5-6 minutes, and as soon as you have completed your audition form and the audition itself, you’re free to go. Students will be notified of their acceptance status by email shortly after the audition date.

All students auditioning for Tulsa Youth Opera must bring one prepared solo in a classical style for their audition. The piece should be 3 minutes or less if possible.

If your junior high or high school student has competed in district or state solo contests, the piece he/she performed at contest would be an excellent choice.

Other great choices include traditional folk songs, classical-style Broadway songs (e.g. My Fair Lady or The Music Man), hymns, and patriotic songs.

Students should NOT bring: country, pop, or rock songs, or contemporary Broadway belt music.

You can still audition if you don’t have any of the above! Prepare a simple piece that shows off your vocal ability. “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee)”, “Happy Birthday”, and “Scarborough Fair” are excellent choices!

If you need help finding printed music or scheduling your audition, or have questions, please contact sbriggs@tulsaopera.com.