WHO ARE WE SEEKING? Sweet voiced young sopranos (not opera singers) ages 8-18

FROM WHERE? From throughout the world.

FOR WHAT PERIOD? July 9 -August 9, 2020. (Young artists must arrive no later than July 8)

WHEN DO REHEARSALS BEGIN? Rehearsals begin July 9, 2020.

IN WHAT TOWN? Citta’ della Pieve, Italy, between Rome and Florence– Recipient of The Pio Alferano Award for being the most perfect town in Italy in 2013).

WHERE IS THE TOWN?- CItta’ della Pieve is in Umbria, 45 minutes by fast train from Rome & Florence. Near to Siena, Assisi, Perugia & other historic Italian towns. Our youth singers have free time to visit these towns with their family or chaperones and new friends.

WHAT IS THE CLOSEST LARGE AIRPORT? Fiumicino Airport in Rome is the closest large airport, but Perugia Airport is also close by.

.WHAT DO THE YOUNG SOPRANOS DO?

The young sopranos live in our Renaissance Italian town in The Green Heart of Italy during the period of an historic Renaissance Festival.

They train & rehearse onstage & then perform in International Opera Theater 17^th world premiere multicultural Italian opera: “Raphael”.

HOW OFTEN DO THEY REHEARSE? Sopranos rehearse 6 days a week

WHERE? in Teatro Comunale “Accademia degli Avvaloranti”  (take virtual tour)- the town’s historic opera house,

IN WHAT LANGUAGE SO THEY SING? The opera is sung in Italian. Young sopranos learn to pronounce/sing in Italian. They work with experts in Italian language and pronunciation.

WHAT MAKES THE PROJECT SPECIAL? There are so many aspects that make this a totally unique project. One special aspect is that Young sopranos work with a master of intercultural collaborative direction, to self-create and self-organize their own staging through a proprietary system that the director has developed. Through a one of a kind, fun, empowerment system. Karen Lauria Saillant, IOT artistic director/stage director (and former opera singer in Italy “The enthusiasm reached its height with the ovation given Karen Saillant. The orchestra, staff and audience rose to give her wild applause.” La Nazione, Florence) culls from her 50+ years of experience, a process grounded in the Renaissance Commedia dell’Arte which matches improvisation with creativity. In our caring, family-like Italian cultural environment, young people develop & flourish, building autonomy, mastering vocal authenticity, physical and nonverbal expressive abilities, developing empathy & intuition & building self trust &confidence in their decision making abilities.

WHAT ELSE? Youth sopranos interact on stage and off with artists from 24 different cultures as they form their artistic nature & advance Intercultural communication.

HOW MANY PERFORMANCES? There will be 3 fully staged, fully costumed, performances with full professional lighting and chamber orchestra, conducted by Italian Maestro Mauro Fabbri on August 7,8,9, 2020.

WHO DESIGNS THE COSTUMES & SEtS? Costumes and sets, all made of re-purposed and surplus materials, are designed by renowned South Korea Fiber Artist- Mi-Kyoung Lee. http://www.mikyounglee.com/

WHAT KINDS OF EXPERIENCE DID PAST YOUtH ARTIST-ENTREPRENEURS HAVE? In the past, our young singers have included sweet voiced male and female elementary school children through high school singers who have had little experience, as well as those who have starred on Broadway, or sung solos in children’s choruses in operas at The Metropolitan Opera or Opera Philadelphia or performed leading roles or solos in their school productions or with their touring choirs throughout Europe.

In previous years we have invited young sopranos from Philadelphia , New Jersey, Ohio, North Carolina and New York, but this year, because of the deep historical and educational importance of our production, we have decided to expand our quest to include young boy and girl sopranos from throughout the world.

WHO IS THE COMPOSER OF THE MUSIC? Italian Maestro Mauro Fabbri

WHO IS THE MUSICAL DIRECTOR? Our musical director is Italian Maestro Mauro Fabbri, resident conductor at The Finnish National Opera, State Opera Stara Zagora, Bulgaria and Wupperthal Opera, Germany.https://www.maurofabbri.it/

WILL YOUNG SOPRNAOS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH MAESTRO FABBRI, or WILL SOPRANOS WORK WITH AN ASSISTANT UP UNTIL THE END WHEN MAESTRO FABBRI WILL STEP IN? No!! Sopranos will have the honor to work directly with Maestro Fabbri 6 days a week!!

WHO WILL PLAY FOR REHEASALS? Pianist……TBA

HOW DOES A YOUNG SOPRANO AUDITION? For audition information click here

WHAT ARE THE COSTS INVOLVED? Although there are only other school type or class type training programs in Italy presently, which culminate in concert performances- not in participation in a world premiere Italian opera and cost in the neighborhood of $5-8,000 for a month, our project asks only for 1200 euro (approximately $1400 contribution toward training. The reason for this is that each youth soprano accepted into our project receives a substantial scholarship from our artistic director.

WHAT DO YOUTH ARTIST-ENTREPRENEURS DO IN THEIR SPARE TIME? See photos for explanations of the phenomenal spare time or the travel to nearby towns, villages lakes and monuments for spectacular spare time activities.

CAN A YOUTH ARTIST-ENTREPRENEUR COME ALONE, OR DO THEY COME WITH A FAMILY MEMBER OR CHAPERONE? Older teens may come unaccompanied, but younger children should come with a family member or a chaperone. Usually families take this month as a family vacation and have a marvelous time exploring our town during The Renaissance Festival and also visiting nearby lakes, villages and famous cities.