Royal Welsh College and Welsh National Opera Extend
Collaboration for New MA Opera Performance Course
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is to launch a new
MA in Opera Performance this September,
which will be enhanced by an extended collaboration with Welsh National Opera. The new Masters
course builds on an active association with the company that has
evolved over recent years and will offer advanced students vital
access to, and experience of, one the UK’s leading professional
companies.
‘The training of young opera singers is very close
to my heart,’ says John Fisher, Chief Executive and Artistic
Director, WNO, ’I could not be more pleased that WNO will be vastly
augmenting its collaboration with the Royal Welsh College of Music
& Drama, particularly in the context of their new MA Opera
performance course. It is vital that these students have a full
understanding of what awaits them in the professional world, and we
at WNO are happy to provide as much access to that as we can.’
The new course will be led by Angela Livingstone, the College’s
recently appointed Head of Opera, Vocal Studies and Choral
Conducting. It will offer a range of benefits building on the
strong relationship between the College and WNO:
- Access to designated company rehearsals and also to dress
rehearsals where appropriate.
- Students will be able to closely observe and potentially take
part in WNO Max projects and concert party events.
- In their final year, students will learn an entire operatic
role, and WNO’s Casting team will advise students on professional
audition technique and provide feedback.
- Students may be assigned an individual mentor from within WNO
and will have a working session with senior members of the WNO
artistic team where advice will be given on repertoire and the
profession in general.
The new MA programme builds on the College’s well-established
and respected postgraduate provision and a track record for
nurturing young singers. It also draws on the other specialist
training delivered by the College in acting, theatre design and
stage management and enables the College to deliver a training
experience modelled on the professional industry.
‘Guidance and advice from WNO and a wide range of active opera
professionals is crucial for such an advanced and specific course,’
explains Course Director Angela Livingstone. ‘It means that the MA
students will be better prepared for the industry as well as being
more alert to the demands and expectations of professional opera
companies.’
Principal Hilary Boulding adds, ‘The collaboration
with WNO is a great endorsement for this new course and it makes a
lot of sense. The College is in the fortunate position of
delivering opera training in a city that is home to an
internationally renowned opera company and this course maximises
all the potential of such a relationship to benefit the most
talented singers of the rising generation. It comes at an exciting
time as we near completion of a £22.5 million development of the
College’s estate that will transform our performance and rehearsal
facilities. We’re confident that the foundations are in place for
an exciting new offer in professional opera training.’
Recent student successes include postgraduate singer, Justina
Gringyte, who has just been awarded a place at the prestigious
National Opera Studio. Previous Royal Welsh College graduates
selected for the National Opera Studio include Stephanie Corley (PG
Dip 2004) who is singing the title role in Opera North’s production
of The Merry Widow this season, and Carthaigh Quill (PG
Dip 2009), a member of the WNO chorus and currently singing the
role of Borsa in WNO's Rigoletto.
Other notable successes include Claire Watkins (PG Dip 2004) who
will sing the role of Micaela in Scottish Opera’s forthcoming
production of Carmen and Elin Pritchard (PG Dip 2009) will
cover for her in the same role while Rhian Lois Evans (BMus 2009)
will cover the role of Zerlina in English National Opera’s Don
Giovanni.
Angela Livingstone adds, ‘These successes feed
into the confidence that informs this course. The College already
has a track record for training singers at the highest level. By
working even more closely with Welsh National Opera, we can ensure
that singers learn about the demands of the profession whilst in
their final two years of training, and benefit from top industry
professionals in helping them to plan for and shape their move into
the profession.’