Singers

We are excited to return to Sicily for our 2022 Summer Intensive! The beautiful Unesco sponsored city of Caltagirone will host us again, and the Island of Sicily will be a beautiful backdrop to intense vocal training at the highest level.

Studies will be for six weeks, from June 26 (Arrival) through August 8th (Departure). Our entire focus will be on developing greater familiarity with what it takes to be a professional opera singer. This means voice training, coaching, and significant time with orchestra, conductors, and directors.

Our schedule in 2022 will be divided into sections.

SCHEDULE

Preparing Before Arrival

Before we arrive in Sicily, we will already begin to study and plan our staging virtually. This will allow voice teachers, conductors, and coaches to become familiar with your work, and give you direction in preparing vocally, emotionally, and in acting – for the operas. This will allow us to hit the ground running in Sicily, and gives us more time to perform.

Performances

Our performances will begin already from week 2. There will be a performance on most days. Some performances will be open to the general public, and others will be by invitation only. ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT EVERY SHOW, whether you are part of the performance or not. Our utmost attention and focus must be devoted to every show as it were your own, thus showing respect toward your colleagues.

Voice Lessons and Individual Coaching

This will be the most vocally demanding period of your life. You will be challenged musically and in your technique to perfect your vocalism, and you must be prepared, rested, hydrated, and focused. We demand absolute focus and dedication during this period. Excessive recreational activity will be frowned upon during this time.

Orchestra Time and Ensemble Coaching

After the first 3 weeks, and for the remaining 3, our focus will shift from voice lessons and coaching to increased orchestra time and daily performances. We will have 1.5 hour daily sessions dedicated to giving participants time to sing with orchestra. This will increase your familiarity and skill in following conductors and understanding the repertoire’s demands.

Recreation

Sicily is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Its landscape, beaches, people, and food, are the envy of the World. We will also focus on recreational activities so as to balance the significant workload with recharging. When we work we work hard, and when we recharge we leave opera behind and decompress.

Typical Day

1st 3-weeks:

Week 1 – Monday through Saturday: Major focus on staging operas, from 9am-1pm, and from 3:30-6:30pm. Opening Concert Sunday evening.

Week 2 & 3- Monday through Saturday: Masterclass 9-11am; Lessons and coaching from 11-2, and 4-5:30pm; Shows at 6:30pm by invitation only (weekend shows 8:30pm open to general public).

Week 4-6 – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: Italian Class 9-10am; Orchestra Time 11-12:30; Masterclass 12:30-1:30; Ensemble coaching (3-4:30pm). Performances alternating between 5:00pm (by invitation) and 8:30pm (open to general public) (some performances will be in other venues aside from our campus auditorium). Weekends are free except for evening shows 8:30pm.

Wednesdays and Saturdays during this period are dedicated to trips and recreation. Sunday is off.

Singers may also participate in an abbreviated program. An abbreviated program must last for at least one week. Abbreviated programs will be considered for the period of June 26th through July 17th.

Repertoire Targeted

La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini
Suor Angelica by Giacomo Puccini
Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini
Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi

Staff

Our instructors include singers, coaches and conductors from Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera of New York, Vienna Staatsoper, Frankfurt Oper, Glyndebourne Festival, etc.

Costs

Application /Audition fee $35

The cost for MOSF 2022 is $5900.

An abbreviated program will cost $1200 per week.

Your participation fees is non-refundable under any circumstance. We strongly invite participants to purchase insurance before paying your Participation Fee (many insurance companies require acquisition of insurance policy before your purchase of airline tickets and payment of participation fee to the program).

Given the reality of Covid-19, and the difficulty of adequately insuring your investment against pandemic, should the program be cancelled because of pandemic, $3900 of your fully paid tuition will be returned ($2000 will be non-refundable as program will pivot to an online format with schedule TBD). No other circumstances are considered for refunds. You must carry insurance to protect your investment.