Opera Theater, part of MSM's Voice program, is one of the foremost opera training programs in the world.
Voice students at MSM who are accepted into Opera Theater, will refine their opera technique and develop their artistry under the guidance of a faculty of eminent artist-teachers — while gaining exposure before New York City audiences.
Headed by Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic Director, the program is internationally known for its excellence, attracting some of the most talented young singers around the world. Praised by the New York Times for its significant contribution to operatic life in New York, Manhattan School of Music has a long and proud tradition of producing some of the finest artists singing throughout the world today.
Specific courses and degree sequence plans can be found in the Course Catalog.
Each year two fully staged productions are presented, which span the classical and contemporary repertoire.
Dona D. Vaughn directs one main stage production each season, as well as the Senior Opera Theater, which is required of all senior voice majors. Students have an opportunity to work with leading professional directors and conductors in the other production of the season, as well as in the Opera Scenes program that is presented each fall.
Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic Director, Opera Theater William Tracy, Head of Opera Musical Studies Jorge Parodi, Music Director of Senior Opera Theater Anne Shikany, Assistant to Artistic Director Christina Teichroew, Managing Director of Opera and Musical Theatre Kathryn Miller, Assistant Manager of Opera and Musical Theatre
Undergraduate Vocal Ensembles 17-18
Graduate Vocal Ensembles 17-18
MSM Opera Theater 17-18
2016–17 La clemenza di Tito, W. A. Mozart Der Zigeunerbaron, Johann Strauss
2015–16 The Dangerous Liaisons, Conrad Susa Persée et Andromède, Jacques Ibert and L’enfant et les sortilèges, Maurice Ravel
2014–15 Macbeth, Ernest Bloch Die Zauberflöte, W.A. Mozart
2013–14 The Mother of Us All, Virgil Thomson Orlando Paladino, Franz Joseph Haydn
2012–13 Thais, Jules Massenet Aufsteig Und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, Kurt Weill
2011–12 Cosi fan tutte, W. A. Mozart The Ghost of Versailles, John Corigliano
2010–11 Summer and Smoke, Lee Hoiby El amor brujo and La vida breve, Manuel De Falla
2009–10 Pénélope, Gabriel Fauré Le nozze di Figaro, W. A. Mozart
2008–09 Later the Same Evening, John Musto Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss
2007–08 Street Scene, Kurt Weill Griffelkin, Lukas Foss
2006–07 L’Italiana in Londra, Domenico Cimarosa Lord Byron’s Love Letter, Raffaelo de Banfield, and The Village Singer, Stephen Paulus
2005–06 Cendrillon, Jules Massenet A Dinner Engagement, Lennox Berkeley and Riders to the Sea, Ralph Vaughan Williams
2004–05 Zemire und Azor (Beauty and the Beast), Louis Spohr A Month in the Country, Lee Hoiby
2003–04 Mirandolina, Bohuslav Martinu A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Benjamin Britten
2002–03 Béatrice et Bénédict, Hector Berlioz The Seagull, Thomas Pasatieri
2001–02 Der Wildschütz, Albert Lortzing Amelia Goes to the Ball, Gian Carlo Menotti, and Roman Fever, Robert Ward
2000–01 The Rape of Lucretia, Benjamin Britten The House of Seven Gables, Scott Eyerly
Students accepted into the Opera Theater also have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive outreach training program, including Discover Opera! and an abridged classic opera, Amato’s Opera-in-Brief.
Other important elements of the opera program are the Opera Workshop and Opera Lab, which provide appropriate venues for singers to develop stagecraft and dramatic interpretation as well as gain additional performance experience.
Kate Aldrich (Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Colón) Liam Bonner (Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, English National Opera) J’nai Bridges (Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera) Andrea Carroll (Houston Grand Opera, Wiener Staatsoper) Anthony Roth Costanzo (Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, English National Opera) Lauren Flanigan (Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, La Scala) Susan Graham (Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Paris Opera) Soloman Howard (Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Los Angeles Opera) Lauren Jelencovich (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis) Sol Jin (Metropolitan Opera) Brandon Jovanovich (Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Deutsche Oper Berlin) Kathleen Kim (Metropolitan Opera) Catherine Malfitano (Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Paris Opera; Voice Faculty, MSM) Johanna Meier (Metropolitan Opera, Bayreuth) Laquita Mitchell (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Opéra Comique) Simon O’Neill (Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, La Scala), Kyle Pfortmiller (Metropolitan Opera) Amy Shoremount-Obra (Metropolitan Opera) Krysty Swann (Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago) Dawn Upshaw (Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, Salzburg Festival) Yunpeng Wang (Metropolitan Opera) Matthew Worth (Dallas Opera, Atlanta Opera) Dolora Zajick (Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago)
View the MSM Opera Theater discography, professionally produced and released on Albany Records, here.
“I’ve had incredible opportunities here, including the chance to perform roles I could only dream of and working with teachers that have made me a better actress, singer, and performer.” Abigail Shapiro Soprano (PS '18)
“I’ve had incredible opportunities here, including the chance to perform roles I could only dream of and working with teachers that have made me a better actress, singer, and performer.”
Abigail Shapiro
Soprano (PS '18)
A video "teaser" for MSM Opera Theater's performance of Mozart's <ital>La clemenza di Tito </ital> in December 2016
Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron) by Johann Strauss, performed in April 2017
Dangerous Liaisons , by Conrad Suza, performed by MSM Opera Theater in December 2015.
Dangerous Liaisons, by Conrad Suza, performed by MSM Opera Theater in December 2015.
Persée et Andromède by Jacques Ibert, performed in December 2016
L'enfant et les sortilèges by Maurice Ravel, performed in December 2016
Dona D. Vaughn
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