Art Project Grant

The Northern Lights Music Festival Opera Apprentice program serves as a bridge from post-graduate vocal studies to the professional world. In a three week period, a young singer can master an opera scene, creating a solid audition piece that is well-staged with minimal sets or props. The participant will receive daily training in stagecraft, diction (this year, Russian), voice lessons and other career coaching by highly experiences opera singers and directors. They will sing in the chorus of the mainstage production of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin; some will receive comprimario roles and cover roles. At the conclusion of the program, participants will have had three public performances of their chosen opera scene. Northern Lights Music Festival will guarantee that goals are achieved by each participant: daily coaching, lessons, diction and participation in both opera scenes and mainstage production by the success of public performances. Each participant should leave the program with at least a rudimentary knowledge of Russian diction; will have successfully performed their opera scene in three different cities, and will have successfully completed their participation in Eugene Onegin. Achievement of the stated goals will be on display to the public in multiple opera and chamber music performances. A panel of faculty will also create a mock audition situation for the participants, with participants receiving written comments.