Composers Institute
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Join us in Italy for the Opera Lucca Composers Institute! Develop your skills writing for the voice with acclaimed composer, Raphael Fusco, praised as “accomplished and winning” by the New York Times. Read Professor Fusco's bio here.
Dates June 5th (arrival) to June 21st (departure).
The two-week program is focused on writiang for operatic voices and text setting. Students will compose new vocal works and bring any vocal works in progress for refinement. Composers will attend individual composition lessons with Professor Fusco; composition seminars; as well as musical rehearsals, vocal coachings, and masterclasses to learn about the voice. The program will culminate in premieres of new works for voice, to be determined in collaboration with Professor Fusco.
COURSE DETAILS
Before arriving in Lucca, composers will pick a text in English, Italian, or Latin to be approved by the faculty. For all texts not in the public domain, the student is responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions to use the text. In addition to lessons and masterclasses, composers will be paired with singers and enjoy the opportunity to experiment and try out their ideas, using direct feedback from singers to revise and develop their ideas. A list of possible voice types/combinations will be sent to the students four weeks before the beginning of the festival.
SAMPLE SCHEDULE
The schedule consists of:
Composition Masterclasses
Private Composition Lessons
Seminars with Opera Faculty
Observation of Rehearsals and Coachings
Private Italian Lessons are an Optional Add-On
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Fill out the application form
Submit scores of two representative compositions in PDF format (at least one composition should feature the voice, if possible). Links to recordings of performances are strongly encouraged.
CV, short bio, and list of compositions.
Important: add info@operalucca.org to your email contacts so our email does not go to spam.
TUITION & FEES
Shared Room – Apartment/Dorm: $1600
Single Room – Apartment/Dorm: $2000
Not included in tuition: airfare, train travel, food (unless otherwise arranged), travel insurance, passport and visa, weekend trips.
Important: A $950 tuition deposit is required to secure a place in the program after acceptance. From April 1st to May 23rd Tuition is 50% refundable. After May 23rd tuition is non-refundable.
Opera Lucca is a nonprofit organization. The tuition of this program reflects actual costs at discounted rates provided by all institutions, teachers, and administration.
FELLOWSHIPS/SCHOLARSHIPS
Affording Tuition: The cost of attendance reflects housing, language school tuition, and music activities. We work to keep tuition as low as possible in order for the program to be accessible. Tuition is competitive with other similar programs. Many students raise money through online campaigns, like GoFundMe or facebook, and with university grant applications. We also strongly recommend organizing benefit concerts to raise money in your community. The sooner you begin fundraising, the easier it is to cover costs.
I truly can't recommend Opera Lucca enough. This program has enhanced my musical journey in so many different ways. Having the opportunity to play Le nozze di Figaro in its entirety so early on in my career is an experience that I will always be grateful for. The faculty are some of the best I have ever learned from. Dr. Fusco taught me volumes about collaborative piano and composition – from accompanying secco recitativo to following a conductor to composing idiomatically for voice. Though I participated as a pianist and not as a singer, I also learned a lot about bel canto technique through accompanying Professor Volpe's lessons and observing his teaching. I had the special experience of participating in both the opera and composition programs at Opera Lucca simultaneously, which added another layer of enrichment to my experience. It is rare to find a program for young artists that provides such a strong platform for them to grow in so many different areas. I look forward to carrying everything I learned at Opera Lucca forward in my musical career. Whether you are a pianist, singer, or composer (or all!) I highly recommend applying to Opera Lucca!
Sydney Wang, Composer and Pianist
UCLA
Opera Lucca was amazing. I loved experiencing small-town Italian life in the beautiful city of Lucca, and immersing myself in the language, culture, and music. The program is well-organized and the faculty is superb. If you are an opera singer, pianist, or composer, go to Opera Lucca one summer. You will not regret it!
Christine Whelchel
MTSU
I will never forget my Summer in Lucca. The city, people, food, and beauty of language and culture made it an ideal place to develop as a singer. Three hours of Italian every morning pushed me to a higher standard of speaking. By week two, I was able to converse with locals! The music program is top-notch. The faculty are experts in Italian and have an in-depth knowledge of the opera industry. Opera Lucca was the perfect place to network, perform, and meet others who love opera as much as I do!
Grace Pfleger
Montclair State
It has been such a blessing to be a part of Opera Lucca this past month working on incredible music, meeting amazing people and making long lasting memories. I hope I get to have more opportunities with them in the future. To the many talented musicians, coaches, teachers, composers, directors, conductors, pianists, and singers I give my thanks.
Logan Williams
Carnegie Mellon University
