Every year, hundreds of singers from ages 16 to 60 spend amounts ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars to attend summer programs, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. These programs can have extraordinary intellectual, physical, social, psychological and career benefits — or conversely, they can have a devastatingly negative impact.
The challenge for singers is not only choosing a good program based on very clear objectives, but also in choosing the right time to attend. If a singer isn’t developmentally ready for a high-powered program, the experience is not likely to be positive.
Before choosing a summer program, you must take time to become aware of your objectives. Is your total package ready to take advantage of networking opportunities in a competitive environment of top industry contacts? Are you in need of a very safe, nurturing environment? Would you like to have a taste of the singer’s world? Or would you just like a singing vacation with a chance at lead roles?
Research and Network
The key words to finding the program that will meet your objectives are research and network. To help in your research, Classical Singer has identified 82 programs around the world. To help in your networking and sorting out your own goals, we have solicited responses from program participants. We suggest you read the full text of all responses on the website at www.classicalsinger.com. These responses will give you a feel for what different programs can offer as well as what questions to ask of programs which interest you.
You can also post questions on the CS Forum,* Vocalist,** and talk to industry professionals. The financial and psychic investment to attend a summer program is considerable so please do your research!
Longevity
One would think the fact that a program has been around a long time this would be a good indicator of a quality program. In fact, a program with no longevity, Opera Overture, garnered rave reviews in its first year from the very young participants. (But the program was run by the experienced Christine Bullin who used to head San Francisco Opera’s Merola program.) Conversely, some of the most notorious programs have been going on for many years! There is no group policing these programs or setting standards, and singers have little recourse when things go wrong, particularly in Europe.
For example, some programs offer college credit. However, we have letters from participants in one Italian program who paid and registered for credit without checking with the colleges. Upon returning, they wrote that there was no credit given and no refunds. They were simply referred to lawyers who will not return phone calls.
Examine the Motives
There are wonderful administrators with the highest of motives running most of the summer programs. But singers who read this issue and the full text of responses from participants will quickly see three facts:
° Programs can be no better than the motives of administrators.
° Singers will forgive much as long as they can tell intentions are good.
° In rare cases, a singer may be blaming programs for their own lack of preparation or unrealistic expectations of a summer program.
At CS, we have seen the personalities of administrators emerge as we have solicited responses. Some have been very patient and helpful with questions, even when we made mistakes. Others became impatient and irritated with questions and responded with sarcasm or worse. This makes one wonder how they would treat young singers.
When researching programs, singers might do well to examine the background of administrators. Try to find out what motivates the person to go to all the work of putting on a summer program. One singer on the CS Forum speculated in a generally insightful letter, “I think he couldn’t get a real job with any existing companies so he started his own.” A few administrators may have other motives such as boosting their reputation as teachers or to supplement their summer income.
Singers pay thousands every year for programs run by musicians or former musicians who have decided to create their own world which they control. There is nothing wrong with that as long as singers are receiving what they were promised. However, we have heard of singers returning to their lodgings in foreign countries to find the administrator had tossed their belongings out onto the street. One singer told us of an administrator who frightened young singers by threatening that if they didn’t do what he wanted he could destroy their career with a single word. She was too inexperienced to know that he could do nothing of the sort. Singers were promised refunds for money out of pocket which never materialized. And while some programs have had problems in the past, they have been resolved and so we have them listed in our chart and in advertising.
However, most program administrators we know are working with emerging singers because they truly care about them and about the art. They recognize that an intensive summer program may be the way to make a strong and positive impact on emerging talent and on the field in general. They may make administrative mistakes, but basically they are trying to help.
Jane Klaviter, who runs the Bel Canto Institute, is a coach at the Metropolitan Opera. She started her program because she saw a great need to train singers in the bel canto style. Joan Dornemann — with top industry credits — started the Israel Vocal Arts Institute (now called the International Vocal Arts Institute) after years of doing master classes. One suspects she felt she didn’t have enough time and singers didn’t have enough opportunities in that limited venue. Darren Keith Woods, a working professional character tenor, took over the Seagle Colony out of a desire to help young singers. Richard Owens, one of the founders of AIMS, has just started a new program: Music Theater Bavaria. And there are many more administrators doing this work for similarly altruistic reasons.
It can be hard to tell the difference between someone who truly cares about your development and someone with other motives. As one respondent wrote, “The man running it basically told people whatever they wanted to hear to get them to spend their money and attend.” This is why singers must be sure of administrative credentials. They also must talk to former participants and staff members and not simply someone who has a financial interest in their attendance.
Program Types
“La Scala Track” Career Programs
If you are interested in a program which will help a “La Scala track career,” choose a program which is staffed by professionals who are either currently working in the industry in major venues, or who have retired from the same. Be wary of vague staff biographies which contain phrases such as “Mr. Jones has sung throughout Europe.” Look for specifics in venues that you know and can check to make sure the credits are accurate.
It may not a good career move to try one of these top programs until you are ready. You will be singing and working with important people who can help your career. While most programs are run by people who have a great desire to help emerging artists, first impressions are still very important. You may want to work on your entire package at a lower profile program before you get heard by leading industry professionals.
When you are ready for it, a good program for high-level career building should provide:
1) Lessons with excellent teachers and coaches.
2) Industry contacts
3) Skill development (languages, repertoire, technique, etc.)
4) A safe environment — emotionally and physically. Screaming at, belittling or threatening any one singer must not be tolerated by the group. If this occurs toward any one participant, singers would do well to use the power of the group and together insist that the behavior be stopped. No singer should be told that abuse is “training for the profession!”
5) Accurate program details in brochures. For example, if chorus singing is required, this should be stated clearly. If participants are required to purchase their own costumes, that also should be made clear ahead of time. Promised teachers and coaches, lessons, meals, housing should materialize. While last-minute substitutions are common at summer programs, there should always be an equivalency.
6) Equal opportunity for all paying participants conditional upon career readiness.
7) Role preparation, study and performance.
Skill Development Summer Programs
Programs which simply teach career skills are always big hits with participants on all levels. Examples of these are the Wesley Balk Institute, Peter Harrower Institute and OperaWorks, run by Ann Baltz. While these programs aren’t about career contacts or singing lead roles, they nonetheless provide singers with confidence and critical skills. They also level the proverbial playing field. I will always remember the joy on the faces of some high-level participants at the Wesley Balk Institute as a near-monotone singer sang a truly moving performance! That spirit of support was evident in responses received from many such programs.
Problems and Resolutions
Mundane Realities
A few listed some small problems after raving about the program generally. Several wrote about wishing to have role assignments prior to arriving. There were also complaints about the inequality in scholarship money between men and women. One singer acknowledged that this was probably impractical since more women then men come to these programs and they need male singers. Another singer felt that favoritism was given to the lead singers; chorus members had to buy their own costumes while principal singers had theirs provided.
Other concerns singers had:
“It’s impossible to get anywhere without a car.”
“Weekends were boring.”
“[They] had the nerve to charge $24 a day for food.”
“Some of the rehearsals were rescheduled at short notice.”
“I wish we could have known what the schedule was at least the day before!”
“20 minute commute to rehearsal space.”
“Every singer had to participate in the chorus (when not singing a principal role). This left little time for personal practice and rehearsals. We had to travel great distances after a full day of rehearsals to perform concerts and operas, and it was exhausting.”
“Worst of all was the total disorganization…[but] it was not for lack of trying.”
“Coachings were sometimes few and far between.”
“I hope they can increase the length of the program.”
“The age differences were too great.”
Serious Complaints?
When asking for singers’ experiences, sometimes you can encounter singers with legitimate complaints or simply singers who are upset about summer programs for reasons which may not the fault of the program. The complaints are valuable, however, because they can serve as reminders of what needs to be made very clear up front!
As an example, on the CS Forum last year a singer wrote about the International Opera Academy in Rome, run by Dr. Marilyn Tyler. “Last summer, one of most offending things about the program, was the fact that Dr. Tyler seemed willing to take just about anyone in order to get their money, promise them certain roles and opportunities, and then not follow through once people paid and got to Rome. There were six Cherubinos and seven performances. At the outset, everyone was told there would be three or, at the most, four people singing each role (already way too many for the $3,500 each singer — including the choristers — was paying to be there). I just thought people might be interested to know that this summer, there are 8 performances of Don Giovanni scheduled and 13 Zerlinas!”
Dr. Tyler explained: “The attrition rate is quite sizeable. The rules sent to each singer state that singers must come knowing their roles. There were eight performances of Giovanni and only eight Zerlinas. Just like with any professional program, when singers arrive at the first audition they must know their roles by heart, with letter-perfect diction. I’ve never had every single singer assigned to a role show up with their roles really ready. Just like in the professional world if they are not prepared, they are not cast but will be given other opportunities. Five or six recitals are also given.”
Several letters of complaint were received about Rome Festival Opera and SSMA. The full text of these are at the website along with any answers received from program administrator(s). We welcome responses from administrators and will include them on the website as received.
Not everyone attending problem programs is unhappy. Several older emerging singers were fairly content to just have a chance to sing for an audience and to be in foreign countries — even when administrators were reportedly behaving badly. The programs met their objectives. Problems arise however from singers who hoped to make major career moves through a summer program, yet chose a program which couldn’t meet those goals.
American vs European
American Programs
As usual, participants in American programs had few complaints —in fact, raved about their experiences — especially when they got to sing lead roles. A participant from the Seagle Music Colony wrote, “Many times there would be a new face at the dinner table and it would be someone who was in the middle of a big career who was in town for a few days’ visit. These professionals seemed to enjoy spending time with the young artists.” “I had a supportive environment where I was able to experiment with new ideas and not have a fear of what would happen if I made a wrong choice. The growth I made there has been obvious to my coaches. I’m now making a Fach change based on my lessons there.”
Singers listed many reasons for wanting to attend the programs:
“I went to obtain more performance experience.”
“…music without life distractions.”
“…improve audition skills”
“I am only 26 years old and I wouldn’t have otherwise gotten to sing these roles.”
“I just needed someone to believe in me.”
“Voice teaching was exceptional.”
“…intensive voice lessons…Since I am not able to afford that many lessons in two weeks, it was a rare event in which my progress jumped exponentially.”
“A crash course in Russian.”
“The absolute best thing about the program was the friends I made.”
“Because I attend a small college, I do not have the opportunity to be in any opera productions. This was my first time.”
European Programs
Singers who reported major problems were all at programs in Italy! Does that mean all Italian programs are bad? Hardly. Several participants wrote glowingly of the experience of singing in Italy: Elizabeth Kinzer, who went to Lucca, wrote, “In the beginning I totally misinterpreted some lines [of the libretto] with my American background but after time in Italy, and learning about the culture and the people — I met Don Giovannis — I suddenly understood new dimensions of the opera and characters which I couldn’t have with only an American background. The only way to really understand a people is to become a part of a family for a while. Staying in a dorm, hostel or hotel just would never allow the intimacy you need to really understand the nuances of the people.”
“Isa” wrote, “I was able to sing in the most beautiful places in Italy…perfumed air, the sea and the mountains added an aura of the magical.”
Singers report that being in Italy opened their eyes to a whole new world. A participant in Lucca wrote, “The love of opera which these Italian audiences possess is something I have never experienced in my own country. The Italians listen to opera and classical music for fun, singing along with the arias they know. One time in a restaurant, the television was tuned to the Arts/Entertainment station and Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore was on. The entire crowd of eaters stopped their focus on food and directed it toward the TV. They watched intently, all the while humming the tunes and singing along. The Italian appreciation of classical music is something I believe many Americans could learn from. The sweetest thing that happened to me occurred while I was in a practice room. The rooms are fairly large (but few in number) with big windows overlooking the street. We are instructed to keep the windows closed so as not to disturb the neighbors, but our sound is still large enough to travel outside through the windows and thin walls. One day, [while practicing] I noticed a small crowd of [Italians] gathered outside my window. They were talking and listening to me sing. I was trying to ignore them, but as I finally appeared at the window, they began clapping, paying me compliments, blowing me kisses and even crying tears of joy. I opened the window to receive the acclaim and thanked them for their kind words. They said (in Italian, of course) how beautiful my voice was and how great they thought I was. They even asked me my name and said that they thought I would be extremely famous one day. This showed me again how receptive the Italian public is to the world of fine music. (I later met one of these men and had a bit of a “summer fling” with him!)
But attending a program in a foreign country can also be dangerous. “Italy can also be scary for a foreign young woman. At 6 feet tall, 175 lbs. with blue eyes and long curly blond hair, I did not exactly “fit in” with the Italian look. Because of this, I received more attention from the Italian men than I have ever gotten from the men in this country. But the attention was not always good. I was very often stalked by men on foot and in cars, and was approached numerous times, getting asked out for the “night.” One evening, a man in a car tried to force me into his vehicle by physically grabbing my arm, pulling me towards him, and trying to “sweet-talk” his way into my bed. I felt disgusted, almost as though I were being picked up like a prostitute. This incident truly frightened me, even though I managed to escape. It did however change my opinion of the Italian men; they were just a little too forceful for my taste. The message? Women just need to be careful when alone and should be aware that these types of situations are all too real, especially in foreign countries. I never thought I would find myself being the object of so much attention, but the fun and flattery quickly turned to fear and frustration towards the end of my experience.”
Name Confusion
There are three programs in Italy which have similar names. This has caused great confusion over the years, since the programs have vastly different reputations. The names are so similar there is no way to differentiate easily except by the program administrators.
• Operafestival di Roma run by Louise Panou. This is also called OPERAESTATE, in Rome to differentiate it from other programs.
• NewOperafestival di Roma. Marilyn Tyler used to work with Ms. Panou’s program but left to start a program called The International Opera Academy in Rome. It presents its program and performances in conjunction with the New Operafestival di Roma.
• Opera Festival di Roma or as it’s called in America, Rome Festival Opera, is run by Fritz Maraffi and his wife.
Other programs have also become confused: Singers refer to Siena, but the program is really called Sessione Senese per la Musica e l’Arte (SSMA). Lucca is really the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s summer program called Opera Theatre of Lucca or OTL. (To add to the confusion, we received five responses from this program on Boston University letterhead!) Symphonic Workshop is now 7th Int’l Opera Workshop for Singers. Israel Vocal Arts (IVAI) has inexplicably changed their name to International Vocal Arts Institute, ensuring confusion with Bill Woodruff’s International Institute of Vocal Arts (IIVA). Urbania is the 7th Int’l Opera Workshop. EPCASO is Ezio Pinza’s program. Orvieto is Opera Lirica a Orvieto. Amalfi Coast Festival is also called Badia di Cava or CMS.
Singers have taken to calling the International Summer Academy Mozarteum Salzburg, the Salzburg International Summer Academy. When CS wrote to administrator Michaela Bartsch to ask which name was preferred, we received the following reply, “The name of our program was never ‘Salzburg International Summer’. It has been the ‘International Summer Academy Mozarteum Salzburg’ for the last 52 years—since 1947. It is not the name ‘we prefer.’ It is our name.”
Résumé Value
One singer on the CS Forum wrote of her negative experience at the Rome Festival Opera, but then ended with a positive note, “Since most people don’t know how bad the Rome Festival is, it looks kind of cool to list Rome on your resume.” It is wonderful that this singer was able to find something positive in the experience. However, the opera world is very small so don’t assume that professionals in the business don’t know reputations.
In general, most pay-to-sings do not have much professional résumé value, but the good programs can go a long way towards providing the ground work of skills and critical networks that enable you to be hired by professional companies.
Most summer programs are wonderful, but a very few are real disappointments to some participants. It is up to you to make sure that you have a good experience by researching and networking. Check the credentials and brochure promises using this issue and the company websites. Ask questions of industry professionals, teachers, former participants and staff. Use the CS Forum* and Vocalist** to contact other singers. Singers are happy to tell you their experiences! Our hope for you is that you will be very careful and that you can leave the program agreeing with the Operaworks participant who wrote, “People who had heard me sing for years were stunned by the change.”
*CS Forum can be reached from our homepage www.classicalsinger.com.
**Vocalist is a mailing list of teachers and singers and the archives can be accessed at www.vocalist.org.
