Shalit and BMG hope that the new group will create the same buzz for Broadway music that Il Divo — the quartet featuring American tenor David Miller, French singer Sébastien Izambard, Swiss tenor Urs Buhler and Spanish baritone Carlos Marin — has done for opera.

Open auditions will be held in New York June 6 to find four male singers, ages 20-35. (Auditions were recently held in London, and agent-submitted auditions will be held June 7 and 8. Callbacks are scheduled for June 11.) Those chosen from the New York pool will be flown to London to audition with the U.K. finalists. The final four will be announced in late June.

In a statement producer Jonathan Shalit said, "In the same way that Il Divo, sellers of 18 million CDs, perform popular opera songs, Broadway 4 will record the world's best loved Broadway songs. We are searching for four amazing young singers from New York and the United Kingdom for the opportunity of a lifetime to create Broadway 4 and help make it an international sensation."

Il Divo recently toured with Barbra Streisand during her U.S. concert engagements. Four Broadway actors — Michael Arden, Peter Lockyer, Sean McDermott and Hugh Panaro — will join the Academy Award winner during her forthcoming European tour.

Open audition for Broadway 4 will be held June 6 at Chelsea Studios at 151 West 26th Street. Sign-up begins at 9 AM with auditions beginning at 10 AM. Singers should be "20 to 35 years of age, charismatic, attractive, with strong Broadway legit/pop voices and a love of musical theatre." Those auditioning should be prepared to sing 16 bars a cappella.