Summer Opera Workshop
Despite the current state of the economy, the American Singers' Opera Project is excited to announce that, thanks in no small part to the webmaster, Angelo Caprilli, a summer workshop is being held again this year from May 30 to June 13 in Winston Salem, NC.
Mr. Caprilli promoted the summer workshop via Social Media (Facebook, blogging, etc.) and Search Engine Optimization techniques. More traditional methods were also used, such as ads in Classical Singer and mass mailings. Mr. Caprilli may be reached at the following website: http://www.computer-
Participants will be coming from as far away as Alaska this year, helping ASOP to truly expand in scope. In the first year in North Carolina there were 25 applications with 18 accepted. Last year, in a larger venue and adding an opera, there were 55 applications with 20 accepted. This year there were over 70 applications from as far away as Canada and Alaska, and 21 were accepted. Almost every singer receives some type of scholarship, and many of these scholarships are funded by donors to the workshop; ASOP is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization.
In order to keep costs low, changes have been made. Print ads this year were smaller and the mass mailing was a money-saving pamphlet rather than the large poster sent out in the past. The staff agreed to take a 10% cut in pay. No changes, however, have been made that affect the quality of the summer program. It features, as always, an extremely supportive environment, and utilizes a wide range of methods to educate the whole singer, not just certain aspects of a singer's career. Classes concentrate on performance skills, artistic values, vocal and operatic history as well as professional and ethical standards. Participants have the opportunity to work with world-renowned singers and master teachers such as Nancy Stokes-Milnes and Barbara DeMaio Caprilli.
Performances will be held on the Salem College campus in Winston Salem, NC, during the first two weeks of June; Aria Evening, June 5, 7pm, Shirley Recital Hall, Opera Scenes, June 6, 7pm, Shirley Recital Hall and three performances of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte on June 10, 11 and 12 at 7pm in the Drama Workshop.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
