Applications for advanced classes must be received by Friday 17th May 2024 and be supported by a recording if the singer is not known to the organisers. Applicants are shortlisted according to the variety & strength of singers each year and will be notified by Friday 24th May if successful. Please list alternative class choices upon application should you be unsuccessful in your advanced class application.
Opera Scenes
This class is worth five class points and successful applicants will be allocated repertoire in advance to learn and memorise one scene with one director and a secondary scene with the other director. For each scene, a music call will be taken at the start of the week, with at least two production calls with the relevant director and a dress rehearsal prior to the final performance. Language coaching will also be provided. Opera scenes will be directed by Linda Ormiston & Donald Maxwell with Martin Pickard and William Vann conducting. The course culminates in the Saturday afternoon Opera Scenes workshop performance.
Song Cycle
In this class, participants and audience will experience song cycles prepared and performed in their entirety. It will involve group sessions with the nominated tutors early in the week (as detailed below), with all class participants exploring the poetry and music in preparation for a public performance on Friday 9th August after lunch. Before the concert each tutor will give a short talk about the cycles.
This class is worth three class points and is only available to full-week course applicants. Repertoire allocation will be confirmed in advance and successful applicants should be familiar with their whole cycle prior to arrival on the course. Tutors will then allocate individual songs during the group classes. The chosen cycles this year will be:
- Cinq poèmes de Ronsard – F. Poulenc with Robin Bowman
- 5 Romances, Op.49 – A. Arensky with Sergey Rybin
- Canciones clásicas españolas, vol.1 – F. Obradors with Alice Turner and Asier Rodriguez Saiz
- Quattro Sonetti del Burchiello – F. Malipiero with Matteo Dalle Fratte
- Four Poems by Fredegond Shove – R. Vaughan Williams with Ian Tindale (text with Jacquie Crago)
- The Scotch Minstrelsy – J. Weir with Ingrid Sawers
