OperaWorks
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

OperaWorks is an opera training program, founded by program director Ann Baltz, and conducted in
Northridge, California Northridge is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles. The community is home to California State University, Northridge, and the Northridge Fashion Center. Originally named List of minor biblica ...
, USA.


Description

OperaWorks is a training program for singers and instructors working in the field of
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
. Accepting a limited number of students selected each year from up to eight cities across the United States, the program operates from the beginning of June and runs through the end of July, annually. OperaWorks was founded in 1987 by classical pianist Ann Baltz as a response to what she saw as the myopic tendencies of conventional operatic training. Baltz envisioned a new approach to the training of vocalists, in which the "total instrument" would be addressed, not just the voice itself. Over the years, her program has expanded to include instruction in movement,
Yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
,
acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad range of sk ...
, visualization,
conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or Choir, choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary d ...
,
improvisation Improvisation, often shortened to improv, is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. The origin of the word itself is in the Latin "improvisus", which literally means un-foreseen. Improvis ...
and the
Alexander technique The Alexander technique, named after its developer Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869–1955), is an alternative therapy based on the idea that poor posture causes a range of health problems. The American National Center for Complementary a ...
, as well as
career management Career management is the combination of structured planning and the active management choice of one's own professional career. Career Management is an umbrella term that covers Career Planning & Career Development on an individual level or at an ...
. In 2006, Baltz invited
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
Brad Mays Brad Mays (born May 30, 1955) is an independent filmmaker and stage director, living and working in Los Angeles, California. Background and education Mays was raised in the Edinburg section of West Windsor Township, New Jersey, attending the ...
to spend an entire summer filming the various classes and events at OperaWorks. The results are to be seen in the documentary feature film '' SING*ularity''.


Notable alumni

*
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s:
Hila Plitmann Hila Plitmann (; born August 9, 1973) is an Israeli-American two-time Grammy Award-winning operatic soprano, songwriter, and actress specializing in the performance of new works. Career Education *Juilliard School of Music: Bachelor of Mus ...
, Priti Gandhi, Jessica Rivera *
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
: Julie Makerov, Jessica Rivera, Rebecca Ringle, Michael Chioldi, Ashley Emerson, Robert McPherson *
New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through its 2013 bankruptcy, and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, dubbed "the peopl ...
: Raymond Ayers, Randall Scotting, Priti Gandhi, Basia Revi, Rebecca Ringle *
Los Angeles Opera The Los Angeles Opera, originally called the Los Angeles Music Center Opera, is an American opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth-largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler P ...
: Michael Chioldi, Erica Wueschner, Priti Gandhi * Solo Pop recording artist: Arden Kaywin


References

*https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/29/movies/classical-music-and-dance-guide.html *https://dallasopera.org/news/tag/texas-instruments/


External links


Ann Baltz in residence at AU’s School of Music
at
Anderson University (Indiana) Anderson University is a private Christian university in Anderson, Indiana, United States. It is affiliated with the Church of God. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate majors as well as graduate programs in business, music, and the ...
(14 November 2007) *IndiWire article abou
"SING*ularity" (OperaWorks)OperaWorks
at answers.com
''SING*ularity''
at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) {{DEFAULTSORT:Operaworks Opera organizations Music education in the United States Summer camps in California Arts organizations established in 1987 1987 establishments in California