OPERA & MUSIC THEATRE LAB 2025: January 19 - 25

Are you an aspiring Opera or Music Theatre singer? Hone in on your singing and acting skills at our week-long intensive Opera & Music Theatre Lab!

The Open Academy is delighted to again present Opera & Music Theatre Lab in January 2025.

Opera & Music Theatre Lab is a 7-day intensive program for aspiring operatic and/or music theatre singers aged 15 – 25. Working with a team of professional conductors, directors and music coaches Opera & Music Theatre Lab will cover a range of skills including solo, duet and ensemble singing, interpretation of texts, and stage and acting fundamentals.

The program will be challenging, exciting and stimulating as you develop dramatic performance skills with like-minded students, culminating in a short public performance involving all participants.

By the end of this course you will have:

• developed skills in collaborative performance
• developed a capacity to follow a conductor while singing and acting onstage
• learnt to realistically analyse strengths and weaknesses within your own performing abilities in opera, operetta and music theatre style
• fine-tuned your language skills for singing; primarily in English, but also French and Italian
• built your dance ensemble skills
• developed skills in the 'triple threat' of singing, acting and dancing
• built your audience communication skills to deliver a compelling narrative while singing

Opera and Music Theatre students will all participate in the final production in a range of capacities.  The performance repertoire will be chosen based on the audition videos, but students will also be able to express a preference for either opera or music theatre repertoire and this will be taken into consideration when the repertoire is allocated.  There will also be certain sessions focussed on either opera or music theatre and students can choose which to attend depending on their area of interest.

DATES

Sunday 19 January to Saturday 25 January 2025

PARTICIPATION COSTS

Performers: $1120 incl. GST

Audition fee: $20

APPLICATION PROCESS

Entry to Opera & Music Theatre Lab is by video audition only. Students are required to submit a 4-5 minute digital audition video showing two contrasting songs drawn from either opera, operetta or music theatre.

The registration process involves 3 steps:

• Register online for the Audition process ($20 administration fee)
• Submit digital audition video. Deadline for submissions is Friday 27 September. Successful applicants will be notified on Friday 11 October.
• Once accepted, enrol and pay for the program using the link sent by us.

Please email your video file or url links (Vimeo, YouTube, dropbox or google share drive) to con.openacademy@sydney.edu.au. Videos received without an audition enrolment fee will not be accepted.  Please ensure your video is viewable without requiring access permissions.

Once students are accepted into the program and pay the enrolment fee, they will be sent details of the repertoire and schedule.  Rehearsals and preparation will take place at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, mainly during the day but there may be the occasional early evening call.

PRINCIPAL COURSE DIRECTORS

Simon Kenway – Conductor

Simon Kenway is an established and highly respected orchestral and operatic conductor. He has held posts as Principal Chorus Master of Opera Australia, Musical Director for Opera in the Vineyards, Opera by George and Opera Under The Stars in Broome, and Conductor and Chief Vocal Coach for the Sydney Conservatorium Opera School. He now works as a freelance conductor, both internationally and in Australia and in 2015 was appointed Artistic Director of Pacific Opera.

Simon has conducted the Sydney, Tasmanian, West Australian, Canberra and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, Opera Australia, West Australian Opera, Opera Queensland, Australian Ballet, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Aldeburgh Productions in UK, the Australian Youth Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra. In 2017 for Opera Australia, Simon conducted The Marriage of Figaro on Regional Tour, and also concerts with Willoughby Symphony. Recent engagements include workshops and performances as Conductor and Music Director for Opera Australia’s Community Choirs project from 2012 - 2015.

Narelle Yeo - Direction and Music Coaching

Narelle Yeo achieved considerable performing success in the USA, performing numerous professional roles in opera and musical theatre, ranging from CioCioSan in “Madama Butterfly” to the soprano in Terence McNally’s “Masterclass” for Pacific Repertory Theatre. On the concert stage, she soloed for the San Francisco Symphony and the Berkeley Symphony before returning to Australia. A “singing actor” and champion of new music, Narelle has premiered a number of new works in both the USA and Australia, including her recent portrayal of Catherine in the new Australian opera “The Long Ride Home” by Thomas Rimes. Narelle worked as a Director in the Opera Program at the San Francisco Conservatory.

Since her return to our shores, Narelle has directed opera and musical theatre for the Sydney Conservatorium and numerous other companies and schools in the USA and Australia. She has most recently premiered new works at the Moorambilla Festival and the Brisbane Festival.

Tanith Bryce - Music Coaching and Production

Tanith Bryce (BMus (Perf) (Sydney Conservatorium), DipOp (Sydney Conservatorium), LMusA with Distinction (AMEB), DipModLang (UNE)) is a soprano based in Sydney who is currently working as a voice teacher and language coach as well as being a current member of Opera Australia’s ensemble. Her teaching focus is on healthy vocal production and finding ways to emphasise good vocal technique and poetic nuance through refinement of language.

Tanith has performed in over 20 operas with Opera Australia, most recently in Aida in 2021, as well as having performed in various oratorios and art song recitals. Her interests are divided equally between opera and art song and she enjoys premiering new works by Australian composers, as well as performing other works.