Does operatic acting mean you stand in one place while singing? Could it also involve overacting because you are singing in a foreign language while struggling to get the text across to the audience? Does it suggest an acting technique that is different from spoken theater?

 

Opera means beautiful singing, but Opera, by definition, is a play set to music. There should be no difference in the acting technique employed by the spoken actor or by the singing actor. The iconic Constantin Stanislavski believed Opera singers should "combine the art of living a role with its musical form and the technique of singing."

 

The SAS Opera Studio offers a performance-driven workshop, ROLE (Repertory Onstage Learning Experience), designed for the aspiring professional opera singer who aims to become a complete artist. These workshops aim to lay the foundation of the singing actor's craft. It features exercises and techniques to help you prepare to enter the mind and body of a character, develop the character through the historical and musical setting of the work, understand recitative (if applicable), and analyze the text as you prepare roles from the standard operatic repertory.

At the conclusion, you should be able to answer your character's Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Once you learn to answer these questions, you can open your mind to an understanding of the text and how these answers propel your character's actions and reactions.     

 

Each workshop will study the musical score and text to find the relationship between characters and their relationship to the drama, the time period of the drama, the composition, and the characters' emotional and/or spiritual motivations. Our focus will be to allow the participants to discover and develop a complete role's character, understand how to sing recitative freely, and investigate their character and part in the drama.  Our staff will guide the performers through the assigned roles' linguistic, dramatic, and musical styles.

Performance venues will include The National Opera Center NYC and other studios and performances in New York City.

 

Participants are considered for performance opportunities in our Concert Opera programs.

Every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 pm and Saturdays 12:00 - 2:30pm  Repertoire to be chosen depending on the participants.

 

The repertoire is carefully selected based on your voice type, experience level, and the approval of your voice teacher. IMPORTANT: THERE IS NO TEACHING OF VOCAL TECHNIQUE.

This program includes:

 role preparation, including:

 language and diction

 translation of text

  research the literary and musical styles

  the correct singing of recitatives (if applicable)

  improvisation and acting for singers

  stage deportment

  dramatic role preparation, learning how to live your character.

  Master Classes

​

 Participants are also considered for performance opportunities in our Concert Opera programs

 

 Faculty members including a collaborative pianist, language coach, and stage director will guide the participants through the linguistic, dramatic, musical style, and vocal demands of each role that they are to prepare. All participants will also receive private coaching. Rehearsal and coaching are an integral part of this program.

 

​The final decision of scenes will be based on the singers who are accepted into the program.

 

At the end of the program, participants will perform in a public performance.                                 

 

Enrollment is limited to 15-20 singers to give each participant the maximum time for study and preparation.

 

Faculty will include Founder, Artistic Director, and Coach Stephen Scovasso who will be offering acting sessions and character development.  Lyric Soprano/ Artists Manager Deborah Surdi will hold Masterclasses. Additional faculty to be announced.           

 

 SUMMER OF 2023

The tuition is free (workshop is underwritten by Newark Arts and

the Patrons of SAS Performing Arts Company, Inc.

 

What you will receive:

 

Coaching, Audition Technique, Acting and Character Analysis.

 

Workshop performance at the end of the program

 

Be considered for roles or covers in the SAS Concert Opera Program

season.

 

​

 

Age requirement: 18+

 

Video or audio excerpts are required for consideration.

 

 

For more information: (646) 858-9918

​

 

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​