ABOUT L'Accademia

L' Accademia del Teatro is an advanced training school for lyric opera signers, located in Cagli. L' Accademia founded in 1992 invites students from all over the globe to hone their skills through a rigorous curriculum. Currently fourteen countries and five continents are represented at L'Accademia.

WHAT DO THEY STUDY?

Students study three courses in lyric opera at L'Accademia over a four-year period. The curriculum is divided into three parts: Propedeutico, Biennio, and Perfezionato. The basic elements of lyric are taught in Propedeutico, the first-year base course. Because the first year covers introductory material that singers may have mastered in high school, an entrance exam is given to those students who have earned a diploma in lyric song, allowing them to advance to Biennio, the second level.

Biennio, literally translating to "two years-course," the length of time needed to complete the section, covers five topics crucial to success in lyric opera: italiano, ditzione, arte scenica, tecnica vocale, and repertorio. Due in part to the fact that students from many different cultures attend L'Accademia, teachers find it essential that all students be fluent in Italian. In addition, the school believes that students aiming toward professional careers in opera should be able to enunciate the Italian properly. As a result it is the only language spoken at the school.

L'Accademia teaches background in a course in history called ditzione, meaning lecture, because the school adheres to the philosophy that students must understand the meaning of the lyric poems and operas to be performed in order to be a successful singer. Students must fully grasp the meaning of the opera lyrics taught in this course before performing. Ditzione also examines background information of many different operas, promoting the importance of understanding and appreciating opera history.

Another aspect of Biennio is arte senica, or the art of movement on stage. The arte senica course is like acting, as students aim to perfect on-stage emotions. For example, a singer will practice the body language, posture, facial expressions, and tone of voice that accompany a sad opera or lyric poem. Because vocal technique is the most important aspect of lyric performance, the "real singer" is created in tecnica vocale, where intensive diaphragm strengthening exercises are practiced.

The goal of the school is to have great singers on stage by the start of the students' fourth year, perfezionato. Because seniority plays a role in casting, most students performing on stage are in their fourth year of study. Students from L'Accademia perform in the Teatro Comunale.

L'Accademia's aim is for students to graduate as professionals. A festival is set up every year so that singers have the opportunity to be discovered. By their fourth year, students normally have personal agents to assist them in finding auditions. Success at L' Accademia del Teatro depends not only on voice quality, but on dedication to learning the right vocal techniques. After the completion of study, many students choose to continue learning teaching methods, hoping to become directors or tutors of opera, teaching future performers technique.