Written by Stephen J. Edwards-Trygar, Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator A few years ago, I had the opportunity to do some research on Schubert’s Winterreise for a podcast I hosted and produced called The Composer Chronicles. With three performances of this beloved song cycle taking place this week, I wanted to take the opportunity to share the result of that research. The original format of this blog was a podcast episode, which you can find the link to listen below. However, if you would like to read a modified transcript of the episode, you can do so below; it begins with a synops ..read more

Written by Stephen J. Edwards-Trygar, Development and Alumni Relations Shrimp linguine with shrimp tartar from The Opera Kitchen menu Alexandra Nowakowski (’18) has teamed up with photographer and chef Riccardo Riccio to create a new experience for opera and food lovers alike. From beginning to end, The Opera Kitchen provides their guests with delicious food, beautiful singing, and socializing on an intimate level. For both Alexandra and Riccardo, this is also about getting to share their passions to the fullest, engaging with their guests. I was honored to get to sit down with Alexandra to ta ..read more

Written by Stephen J. Edwards-Trygar, Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator December 26, 1830: Gaetano Donizetti’s new opera Anna Bolena premiered at the Teatro Carcano in Milan. The opera was a triumph in Donizetti’s career, receiving critical and popular acclaim. After Anna Bolena’s premiere, Donizetti’s former teacher, Johann Simon Mayr, began addressing him as Maestro, and it didn’t take much longer for Donizetti to be considered one of the most prominent names in Italian opera alongside Vincenzo Bellini and Gioachino Rossini. A new production of Anna Bolena will be staged here at t ..read more

Written by AVA Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator Stephen J. Edwards-Trygar “Gigli, of all tenors, taught me beauty, of sound; Schipa, of all tenors, taught me the importance of being yourself vocally, singing with your own voice, and not trying to be someone else because your voice is an extension of your body, of your personality, of your sensitivity, of your way of emoting…” Luigi Boccia, Strong Songs Alumnus Luigi Boccia (’12) was a featured guest on the podcast Strong Songs with Kirk Hamilton in an episode titled “An Operatic Odyssey, with Luigi Boccia”. This episode introdu ..read more

Rehearsals for the Academy of Vocal Arts’ new production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale have been underway for the past few weeks! Since we began, AVA has been abuzz with excitement, thanks to some phenomenal publicity opportunities. From radio to television to TikTok and Instagram, AVA has been the talk of the town, and it is because of the extraordinary efforts of Camille Mola, AVA’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations. Camille took some time out of her busy schedule to talk with me about her approach to promoting our winter opera and to give insight into what goes on behind the scenes ..read more

Written by AVA Administrative Associate Stephen Trygar Cover photo by Don Valentino Welcome to a brand new season of beautiful singing and gorgeous opera here at the Academy of Vocal Arts! In its forty-three years as part of our opera season, the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition has presented hundreds of phenomenal voices singing opera’s most powerful, impressive, and touching arias. It is tradition that this competition kicks off our season every year, and it stands out as one of our audience’s favorite annual events. As it promises in its name, the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition is a night o ..read more

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This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading ..read more

This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading ..read more

This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading ..read more