CCM's 'Making Mozart' Workshop Series Announces Two Summer Operas

While the mercury rises outdoors, a pool of talented young conductors will be generating their own heat during two groundbreaking summer workshops at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). CCM will welcome students from all corners of the globe for "Making Mozart," a pair of intensive workshops dedicated to the fine art of conducting Mozart opera.

Dubbed "Finding Figaro" and "Creating Così," each workshop will culminate with a semi-staged public performance of one of Mozart's masterworks, complete with orchestra. Le Nozze di Figaro will be performed at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4 in Patricia Corbett Theater. Così fan tutte will be performed at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11 in Corbett Auditorium. Tickets for each performance are on sale now at the CCM Box Office.

Twenty conductors were invited to participate in this one-of-a-kind experience. These rising stars will partake in daily Italian instruction, text and style sessions, and conducting and coaching master classes. Students will also participate in staging rehearsals, work with singers and lead orchestra rehearsals.

Led by artistic director and CCM Orchestral Studies department head Mark Gibson, "Making Mozart's" acclaimed faculty also includes Marie-France Lefebvre (CCM, Metropolitan Opera), Ken Weiss (Washington National Opera), Arthur Fagen (Indiana University), Jose Maria Condemi (Cincinnati Opera, San Francisco Opera), Benjamin Wayne Smith (Seattle Opera, Baldwin-Wallace College) and David Adams (CCM; author of the renowned Diction for Singers handbook).

 

"Making Mozart" is the latest in a series of successful workshops led by Gibson. Fall of 2011 saw the fifth year of his successful orchestral workshops with a focus on Prokofiev and Shostakovich, and from October 5-7 this fall he will be leading an all-Beethoven intensive. These highly successful courses have generated an overwhelming response and extensive waiting lists.