Investing in Irish Talent

While Opera Theatre Company’s outreach work brings world-class opera into the local community by nurturing future opera audiences, our Young Associate Artists’ Programme works in the other direction: it promotes local talent by fostering the career development of young Irish/Northern Irish opera singers right up to the highest international standards.

Designed to bridge the gap between third-level education and the highly competitive professional opera scene, the Programme offers individually tailored top-level coaching in singing, language and stagecraft, together with appropriate performance experience and exposure to international opera.

Opera Theatre Company’s Young Associate Artists are selected on the basis of their talent and immediate potential for further development. Whether about to complete or having just completed their formal studies, they will be at a stage in their development when they are able to gain maximum benefit from the Programme. They are treated as young professionals in their own right and have an ambassadorial role as representatives of Opera Theatre Company’s artistic ethos. The YAAP offers:

Individual Vocal Coaching

Individual vocal coaching is at the heart of the Programme and is arranged by the Programme Director in consultation with an advisory board that includes vocal consultants and leading opera professionals working in major opera institutions around Europe. Coaching, delivered on a monthly basis, is tailored to the individual artist and, in most cases, geared towards the learning of a role for an engagement or preparation for important auditions.

Master Classes presented in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy of Music with artists such as Ann Murray, Thomas Allen, Patricia Bardon and Marie McLaughlin.

Intensive Stagecraft Training

All Young Associate Artists participate in drama courses at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin’s Temple Bar. The ten-week course takes place one evening a week and offers participants a practical opportunity to explore the craft of acting. The YAA are asked to keep a diary of what takes place each week and prepare a monologue for the final session.

The YAA also spend an intensive week working with Annilese Miskimmon and an approved choreographer/movement specialist. As well as coaching the YAA in the dramatic presentation of their audition/recital arias, Miskimmon also stages a short scene from an opera, advises the YAA on deportment and discusses approaches to directing.

Language Development

All YAA attend weekly Italian Language Classes in the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Fitzwilliam Square. Future plans include provision of French and German language classes.

Industry Skills Seminars

Many of our partners in the corporate sphere present seminars on basic business skills which will help serve the YAA during their time on the Programme and beyond. Seminars include:

• Financial management
• Stage Hair & Make-up
• Contracts & Negotiation
• Industry consultation with an Artists’ Manager from an established UK agency

Experience in Opera Education

The YAA play a major role in Opera Theatre Company’s education and outreach work, shadowing more experienced professionals and bringing original input to the Introduction to Opera workshops, which Opera Theatre Company runs alongside touring productions or as freestanding projects.

Performance Opportunities

As the Programme has developed the YAA are in great demand for corporate events. From time to time they are also hired to deliver tailor-made recital programmes for corporate partners. Whenever appropriate, the YAA are involved in main stage touring productions through performing smaller roles or understudying larger roles.

Exposure to International Opera

The Programme provides the opportunity of attending rehearsals and performances at a number of major European opera houses (Royal Opera, Covent Garden, English National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Netherlands Opera). The YAA also receive coaching from the music staff and other guest performers in these institutions.

The Programme covers expenses for all coaching, including fees, venue rental, travel and accommodation for YAA and tutors, tickets to performances, and offers a flat fee for taking part in education projects and recitals.

Initial funding for the Programme has come from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s National Lottery Fund. Opera Theatre Company also gratefully acknowledges additional support from The Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and is now seeking additional funding from enlightened individuals or companies in order to expand the great potential of this unique project.

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