I have been offered a scholarship position within the Opera Academy at Schloss Henfenfeld, Germany, starting in June this year for 2021/22. The academy prepares opera singers on the brink of an international career. Across two years, the program includes twenty-six intensive one to two week long courses conducted by various industry leaders from across the operatic landscape, twelve role studies with staged productions, regular lessons, close career guidance, audition planning and preparation, accommodation within the academy itself and the opportunity for exposure and networking with important names in the industry. It’s the ultimate preparation course.
Many leading vocal pedagogues, stage directors, conductors and casting agents travel to the castle to work alongside its director Denette Whitter. In 2021, these will include stage director Oliver Klöter, professors Klesie Kelly & Arthur Janzen, Metropolitan Opera tenor Ricardo Tamura, Wagnerian Soprano Yamina Maamar, tenor Jeff Martin and many more.
I received my position in the academy as a result of my ‘jumping in’ for one of their role-study performances in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for singers to travel, and after a baritone was unable to perform, I was called to do two roles in their production of Rigoletto. I sang Marullo and Monterone, with a leading soprano from the Semperoper Dresden singing the lead role of Gilda. It was a challenging task to learn these roles with only a weeks notice, but it taught me a lot, and I was extremely delighted to be offered a scholarship position as a result of my performance.
If I am successful in securing the remaining funding for my program at the academy, an example opportunity I have been offered, is to study and perform the role of Don Giovanni across two weeks, with musical coaching from program director Denette Whitter and direction and acting preparation from Oliver Klöter, who is currently working on a production of Wagner’s Siegfried at Teatro Real in Madrid.
Thus far, I have been entirely self-funding my singing journey – working as a teacher and as a youngster as a cashier in the local supermarket. At this stage in my development and journey, I need a little bit of extra help to get over the line. Any support you can provide me is greatly appreciated.
My position at the Academy is secure and in the case that my studies are impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, the course will simply be postponed to commence later in the year.
