Programs

Diction

English Diction – Kathryn LaBouff, Donna Gill
French Diction – Thomas Muraco, Elsa Queron, Cristina Stanescu
German Diction – Nils Neubert
Italian Diction – Glenn Morton, Derrick Goff
Graduate Diction Performance – Thomas Muraco

Song Literature & Style

Undergraduate

American Vocal Literature – Paul Sperry
British Vocal Literature – Miriam Charney
German Vocal Literature – Kenneth Merrill
French Vocal Literature – Jeanne-Minette Cilliers

Graduate

Recitative – Thomas Muraco
Advanced Vocal Literature– Kenneth Merrill
American Song: Beauty & Wit – Paul Sperry
French Art Song for Vocalists & Pianists – Cristina Stanescu
Russian Diction & Song Literature – Mark Pakman

Chamber Music & Collaborative Classes

Singers & Collaborative Pianists Seminar – Three sections are taught by Kenneth Merrill, Thomas Muraco, and Thomas Lausmann/Myra Huang/Bryan Wagorn.

Russian Romances & Ballads – Raymond Beegle

Songs of the Romantic Period – Raymond Beegle

Acting & Movement

Undergraduate Acting – Carolyn Marlow, A. Scott Parry

Graduate Acting – C. Alexander, Axel Avin, Yehuda Hyman

Movement for Singers – Mamie Duncan-Gibbs, Felicty Stiverson, Hollie Wright

Advanced Movement – Mamie Duncan-Gibbs

Wellness

Vocal Wellness & Physiology – Justin John Moniz

Alexander Technique, Advanced Alexander Technique, Performance Techniques (different from Vocal Arts PT) offered through other departments see – p. 139 in the Course Catalog.

A variety of staged experiences are available through audition for undergraduates and graduate students.

For more information visit Opera Theatre.

Musical Theater Lab – Carolyn Marlow, Shane Schag. See description in Opera Theatre.

1^st & 2^nd Year Performance Class – Jonathan Beyer, Mary Dunleavy, Timothy McDevitt

1^st & 2^nd year undergraduates are assigned to one of three sections. Though each section is taught by a different instructor, the goals are the same – to build foundational skills in rehearsal preparation, stagecraft, interpretation, auditioning and professionalism. Classes will present recitals during Friends and Family Weekend in the fall, and performances of duets, trios and opera choruses in the spring.

Undergraduate Choral Ensembles

MSM Chorale – Malcolm Merriweather, director. A mid to large-sized SATB Ensemble.

Chamber Choir – Malcom Merriweather, director. A small, auditioned ensemble.

Gospel Choir – Michael Gayle, director. Offered through the Jazz Division.

Singers & Collaborative Pianists Seminar – Kenneth Merrill, Thomas Muraco, Myra Huang/Thomas Lausmann/Bryan Wagorn. Admission through competitive audition prior to the beginning of the fall semester. Full academic year commitment required.

Graduate Performance Techniques Courses

Master of Music voice majors are required to complete two PT classes.

Revealing the ActorSinger Within – Catherine Malfitano

Study and Performance Techniques in Contemporary Opera – Miriam Charney

Vocal Performance Class – Cynthia Hoffmann

Preparation for Operatic Roles – Mignon Dunn

Stagecraft in Opera and Song – Ashley Putnam

Oratorio Seminar – TBA

A master class with baritone Thomas Hampson

In addition to studies with our expert faculty, students are given opportunities to sing for or interact with world-renowned guest artists.

Recent guests include: Stephanie Blythe, Beth Clayton, Simon Estes, Thomas Hampson, Michael Heaston, Hei-Kyung Hong, Warren Jones, Isabel Leonard, Donald Palumbo, Melissa Wegner.

Graduating singers may be nominated to compete in the Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition each spring (photo above from April 2016). This competition seeks to identify and support young singers who demonstrate exceptional vocal talent and potential in opera. Additionally, singers have the opportunity to compete in the Eisenberg–Fried Concerto Competition each winter.

Fried-Eisenberg Concerto Competition

The Fried-Eisenberg Concerto Competition takes place in the spring semester. Information and audition requirements will be announced in November.

Ades Vocal Competition

The Ades Vocal Competition is held each spring and is open to graduating voice majors who are completing their formal studies with an accredited institution and plan to begin building their careers. Graduates who are accepted into a professional opera company’s young artist program (YAP) are permitted to compete. Information regarding the competition will be announced in November.

Duncan Williams Voice Competition

A voice competition for Black and Latinx classical singers jointly presented by New York city Opera and MSM. Application deadline is October 31, 2022.

Fuchs Chamber Competition

The Fuchs Competition is sponsored by the Chamber Music department. It is open to chamber groups at MSM and is aimed at identifying the highest quality student chamber group ensemble in a given semester. The competition takes place each semester and is open to registered chamber groups. Winners of the competition are featured in a special winners’ concert in Greenfield.

Kate Aldrich — MET Opera, San Francisco Opera,Teatro Colón, Bayerische Staatsoper

Justin Austin — MET Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Lincoln Center Theater, Carnegie Hall, Des Moines Metro Opera, Washington National Opera, New York Festival of Song

Liam Bonner — MET Opera, Houston Grand Opera, English National Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Philadelphia, LA Opera

Raehann Bryce-Davis — MET Opera, La Monnaie de Munt Brussels, Glimmerglass Festival, LA Opera, Staatstheater Nürnberg

J’Nai Bridges — MET Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Arena di Verona, LA Opera, Washington National Opera, Dutch National Opera, Seattle Opera

Andrea Carroll — MET Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna State Opera, Den Norske Opera, Dallas Opera

Beth Clayton — MET Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Glimmerglass Festival, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera, Integrative Performance Coach

Anthony Roth Costanzo — MET Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, English National Opera, San Francisco opera, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, Spoleto USA, Glimmerglass Festival, Finnish National Opera, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Versailles, Madison Square Garden

Chanáe Curtis — MET Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera Memphis, Lincoln Center Theatre, Buckingham Palace

Jeanine De Bique — Salzburg Festival, Mostly Mozart Festival, Budapest Festival Orchestra, l’Oera National de Paris, Aix-en Provence, Theater an der Wien, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Aspen Music Festival, Houston Grand Opera, Salzburg Festival San Francisco Opera, De Nationale Opera Amsterdam, Young Concert Artists Prize, Arleen Auger Prize)  Opéra National de Paris

Alexandra Deshorties — MET Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, LA Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Aix-in -Provence, Dallas Opera

Lauren Flanigan — MET Opera, New York City Opera, La Scala

Susan Graham — MET Opera, Covent Garden, Paris Opera

Soloman Howard — MET Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Los Angeles Opera

Barbara Lynne Jamison — General Director & CEO Kentucky Opera

Lauren Jelencovich — World Tour with Yanni, El Morro Puerto Rico, Star Search Grand Prize Winner, Carnegie Hall, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Opera Tampa

Sol Jin — MET Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Carnegie Hall

Brandon Jovanovich — MET Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vienna Staatsoper, San Francisco Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper

Kathleen Kim — MET Opera, Opéra de Paris, Opéra Comique, Korean Opera, L’Opera de Montreal, Glyndebourne Festival, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Catherine Malfitano — MET Opera, La Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Paris Opera; MSM Voice Faculty

Jana McIntyre — Bard SummerScape Festival, Opera Santa Barbara, George London Fnd winner, MET Opera National Council grand finalist, Santa Fe Opera, Heart Beat Opera

Johanna Meier — MET Opera, Bayreuth

Laquita Mitchell — Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opéra Comique, New York City Opera, Sara Tucker Award, MET Opera National Council Grand Prize Winner, Belvedere Competition Winner, Eleanor McCollum Competition Winner

Warren Mok — Artistic Director Opera Hong Kong

Susan Neves — MET Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vienna State Opera, Gran Teatro del Liceu Barcelona, L’Arena di Verona

Simon O’Neill — MET Opera, Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna Staatsoper, Bayreuth Festival, BBC Proms

Kyle Pfortmiller — MET Opera, Beijing Festival, Hong Kong New Arts Festival, Spoletto USA

Amy Shoremount-Obra — MET Opera

Krysty Swann — MET Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Michigan Opera Theatre, Lincoln Center Theatre

Dawn Upshaw — MET Opera, Glyndebourne, Salzburg Festival

Erin Wagner — (Naumburg Foundation Winner, Houston Grand Opera, Carnegie Hall, Aspen Music Festival, New York Festival of Song)

Yupeng Wang — MET Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Teatro dal Verme Milan, Danish Opera, Teatro Municpal São Paulo

Melissa Wegner — (Exec. Director of MET Opera Lindemann Young Artist Program & Laffont Competition)

Matthew Worth — Dallas Opera, Atlanta Opera, Opêra de Montréal, Beth Morrison Projects, Tanglewood, Oregon Bach Festival

Dolora Zajick — MET Opera, La Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Founder of Institute for Young Dramatic Voices