International Opera Studio

The members of the Opera Studio receive a monthly grant plus an all-inclusive fee for participating in Hamburg State Opera performances.

The two main objectives of the two-year Opera Studio membership, both equally important, are:
• To involve the Studio members in the practical aspects of the work by providing enough knowledge to enable them to understand the requirements of day-to-day opera operations, to assimilate this knowledge. and to put it into practice on a daily basis.
• To provide the Opera Studio members with further training, deepening the knowledge gained during their vocal studies, and providing advice/instruction regarding future career opportunities and planning.

Membership of the Opera Studio should not be regarded as an extension of college/university training. For this reason it is not possible to conduct any sort of progress or success review in the form of an examination or similar. Instead, Studio members are provided with continuous, personal specialist advice as well as group and individual supervision.
The Opera Studio is integrated into the day-to-day opera operations in general and in particular by taking roles in productions of the Hamburg State Opera. A specific study/rehearsal plan for each individual is worked out and regularly checked and adjusted to the progress the individual is making.

• Role studies for small and medium roles in Hamburg State Opera productions
• Roles in Hamburg State Opera productions (in principle no more than a total of 60 evenings spread over two seasons)
• "Cover"- roles in Hamburg State Opera productions (preparation through role studies and participation in rehersals)
• Major role studies (aside from repertoire, based on vocal skills)
• Master classes (up to five a year)
• One-on-one dramatic instruction according to suitability and need
• Instruction in dialogue, phonetics, rhythmical movement and improvisation

Every season the members of the International Opera Studio develope an own opera production. Since 2006 the IOS brings alternately baroque operas and contemporary works on the stage of the opera stabile. Productions as "La Calisto", "Death Knocks/A Gentle Spirit/Savitri", "Les Indes galantes", the double evening "Wir sind daheim" by Moritz Eggert and "Die Komödie auf der Brücke" by Bohuslav Martinu, Johann Mattheson's "Die unglückselige Cleopatra, Königin von Egypten oder Die betrogene Staats-Liebe", Georg Philipp Telemann's "Orpheus" as well as the opera "Erzittre, feiger Bösewicht" for a young audience based on Mozart's "Zauberflöte" directed by Georges Delnon and under the Musical Direction of General Music Director Kent Nagano.