Our Summer course 2006 was a vocal ‘tour du force’ from a group of 23 singers. With tutors Murray Hipkin (ENO), Stuart Wild (Opera Rara), Kelvin Lim (ENO), vocal teacher Jane Streeton (Rada) as well as coaching team regulars Pamela Smith & Paul Arden Griffith, as well as Course Director Susan Stacey heading up the directorial team including notable young assistant directors Michaela Korte (Mosaique.org) and baritone Ian Massa-Harris – the course was an unqualified success.
Undertaking two hour long mini opera versions of pinnacles of the French opera genre (Carmelites and Carmen), as well s over a dozen sizable duet and ensemble opera scenes (all in their original languages) as well as 23 solo aria and lieder choices, the singers made significant personal progress across the board of their ambitions.

Our innovative production of Carmen has gone on to be re-directed in a staged concert with the symphony orchestra I Maestri at St Johns Smith Square, and we look forward to adding the facility for young conductors and trainee repetiteurs to join our team in the summer school 2007, broadening our span of interest and the advice and help that the course provides for its participants.