Malta School of Music Launches Opera Studio
In a first for the Maltese Islands, the Malta School of Music has announced the launch of a specialised Opera Studio, designed to provide students with opportunities for further specialisation and advanced training.
On Monday 14th February, the Malta School of Music, in collaboration with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, held a special concert at Robert Samut Hall in Floriana to commemorate the launch of Malta's first Opera Studio.
Spearheaded by the school's Voice Department, this initiative was described by school head Maria Blanco as “the start of a very exciting journey for our school and the development of operatic studies in Malta”, with this Studio tailor-made to fill a current gap in the local education system.
Students performing during the launch. Photo credits: Elisa von Brockdorff.
Perhaps giving a glimpse of things to come, the inaugural concert itself was chock-full of talented Maltese singers showcasing their skills, with the cohort of vocal teachers at the school – Miriam Cauchi, Andriana Yordnova, Graziella Debattista and Luis Aguilar – teaming up with Mro Riccardo Bianchi to prepare a varied repertoire of operatic favourites, including works by Mozart, Bizet, Verdi and Puccini, among others, which was presented by singers from the new Studio.
Miriam Cauchi, the leader of the Voice Department, noted that “the choice of repertoire is tailor-made and adapted according to the chosen singers. Our aim is to nurture their voices through healthy repertoire which would in turn help the voices develop in the right direction".
Ultimately, this Opera Studio will aim to offer advanced singers the chance to further develop their skillset beyond what the current framework allows, all the while working with professional singers, musicians and conductors so as to become fully-rounded professional performers.
Opera Studio teacher and student cohort. Photo credits: Elisa von Brockdorff.
Applications for the Malta School of Music's Opera Studio are now open, with interested sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, tenors, baritones and basses invited to apply for auditions which will be held in the first week of March 2022. For applications and further information, please contact the school at mavc.schoolofmusic@ilearn.edu.mt.
