The Bel Canto Institute Summer Program and Youth Division Summer Program will be held in residence in Florence, Italy. Singers and coaches will be chosen by means of audition to participate in the program which will not only encompass the musical aspects of style and tradition, but other essential historical and cultural elements which influenced the entire era. The artists will receive coaching sessions and voice lessons and performance classes on style and tradition. In addition to performance classes, participants will perform in one concert performance in a public venue in Florence. Italian language classes will be taught through La Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. All participants will be housed with families, double-occupancy rooms, shared baths. Breakfast and dinner will be provided by the host families. All music classes and Italian diction classes will be held at Il Trillo music school, a short walk from La Scuola Leonardo da Vinci.
2023 Vocal Youth Division Summer Program Details
May 27 – June 16, 2024
Before you apply, check with your school to see if you can be released early to attend if you are accepted into the program.
The three-week summer program will be in residence in Florence, Italy.
Each participant will receive:
- 6 hours private coachings
- 4 hours private voice lessons
- 1 or 2 vocal master classes
- 24 hours of Italian language instruction
- Italian language books (dictionary not included)
- 4 hours of Italian diction
- 10-12 performance classes on tradition and style in operas and songs of Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini
- 1 walking tour of Florence
- ADD ON: 1 one hour session of filming two pieces of your choice (in Italian repertoire we work), three angles as well as straight on. Pieces must be learned and memorized when you arrive and the two pieces will each need to be sung twice during the filming. It is offered depending upon availability of this artist, who is an award winning professional director/cinematographer. ADD ON fee for this is $300, which is in addition to the program fee.
- 1 lecture: “Keeping Your Voice Healthy”
- 1 or 2 concert performances in public venues in Florence
- Breakfast and dinner daily (provided by host families) and a farewell pizza party the final evening.
| Faculty (subject to change) | ||
| Eva Hess Thaysen (voice) Royal Academy of Music (Copenhagen) Danish National Opera Danish Lied Society Jane Bakken Klaviter (coach) Metropolitan Opera (retired) Katherine Ciesinski (voice) Eastman School of Music Metropolitan Opera James Collins (cinematographer) Lucas Films, MacGuffin Films |  Italian language classes will be taught through La Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. All participants will be housed with families, double and triple occupancy rooms, shared baths. Single rooms are available at additional cost. Breakfast and dinner will be provided by the host families. All music classes will be held at Il Trillo music school, a short walk from La Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. | Leonardo De Lisi (voice) Opéra de Nice Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Conservatorio di Firenze Maria Giallombardo (coach) Teatro La Fenice Stefano Fantini (coach) Accademia Musicale di Firenze Stephen West (voice) University of Michigan Metropolitan Opera Ulla Casalini (coach) Teatro Comunale di Firenze Conservatorio di Firenze |
| Guest Lecturers | ||
| Dr. Youngnan Jenny Cho Dr. Anthony F. Jahn |
ACCOMMODATIONS
All participants will be housed with families, double-occupancy rooms, shared baths.
Age Limit
15, 16 and 17 years of age.
Youth Division participants must have a cell phone which functions in Italy and is kept on at all times (except in classes). These may be purchased inexpensively in Italy. The phone MUST be in “PHONE” mode, not text mode.
FEE
The cost of the program is $6,000.
AIRFARE IS NOT INCLUDED. Transfers to and from airport are NOT included. Taxis are readily available.
(Program subject to cancellation)