Opera Lyra Ottawa's (OLO) Opera Studio is a training program that prepares aspiring Canadian singers, stage directors, conductor/repetiteurs and stage managers for a professional operatic career. For over ten years, this training program has provided valuable training for up-and-coming Canadian opera professionals during the early stage of their careers. The program provides a blend of professional instruction and practical experience.
All Opera Studio participants become members of, and receive remuneration as contracted members of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association.
The OLO Opera Studio program may be one to three years in length. Training includes:
- music coaching with OLO music staff;
- the opportunity to work under a professional stage director;
- masterclasses by performing soloists/teachers/ coaches;
- various workshops such as diction, acting, movement, stage combat, auditioning and career counselling. Master classes by soloists/teachers/coaches. This season these will include:
Shannon Mercer, Canadian Soprano
Francois Racine, Canadian Director
Lorne Richstone, Canadian German Diction Coach
The dates for the sessions of the Opera Studio Program in 2009-2010 are as follows:
- August 24 - September 20, 2009
- September 21 - October 18, 2009
- December 4 - December 13, 2009
- March 10 - March 23, 2010
Presently, members must provide their own housing while in Ottawa.
Great opportunities
Each season, OLO presents an Opera Studio production for young audiences at the NAC Fourth Stage. This production is presented with piano accompaniment, staging, costumes, and scenic settings. Studio Artists will be contracted for their roles as per OLO's agreement with Canadian Actors' Equity Association. A school tour of this Opera Studio production takes place earlier in the season.
Along with the Opera Studio production, members have the opportunity to participate in Operantics! - a program presented at local museums to introduce young children to opera through the performance of staged opera excerpts, perform operatic repertoire in concerts and other outreach events, compete in the OLO Opera Studio Competition, sing in the OLO Chorus and perform comprimario or understudy main roles in OLO mainstage productions when suitable to their abilities and voice types. Integration and close collaboration with the opera company provide the Studio Artists with insight into a professional operatic career.
