Imagine a job interview. It’s you and the boss …

And an audience.

One thing that separates the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions from others, said Heath Huberg, a senior at Simpson College, is the fact that it is an open audition — meaning an audience listens along with a panel of judges.

The auditions for the Iowa District were held Saturday at the Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall.

Huberg says it was his first time auditioning for the Metropolitan Opera.

“There’s a lot of intensity,” Huberg says. “I did get a little nervous, from both performing in front of the judges and an audience. On one hand, the judges are the ones actually reviewing your performance, but if the audience is into your performance, it makes it that much better.”

Sara Compton, co-director of the Iowa District, says the audition is important to aspiring opera singers in achieving notice.

“The Metropolitan has been a key figure in getting young singers a foot in the door,” Compton says. “These days, people are saying you have to know someone to get somewhere — the audition is a great way for everyone to be on equal footing and a help in getting their careers rolling.”

Ames resident Linda Hodges says she has attended the Metropolitan Auditions for a number of years now.

“I go because I enjoy opera very much,” Hodges says. “Also, it seems every year, the quality of the singers gets better and better.”

Hodges says it was tough trying to pick a winner.

“They all seem to be at a high level of performance,” Hodges says.

The decision is left to a handful of judges, who decide the winner in a number of areas, Compton says.

“There are three judges on the panel,” she says. “When judging a singer, they’re looking at the performer’s volume, voice quality, vocal communication, stage presence, involvement and accuracy.”

Dennis Helmrich, a judge at the Iowa District, says it was his first time judging for the Metropolitan Opera. He says one of the hardest criteria to judge is potential.

“In addition to things like voice quality and involvement, one of the biggest factors in picking a winner is determining the potential achievement of a singer,” Helmrich says. “Does a singer show potential in future development? Do they show passion and promise in what they do? We have to keep these things in mind when looking at each singer.”

The judges had to narrow the field of 28 singers to three slots at the regionals, as well as three cash prizes of $500 and one of $1,000.