FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Opera Carolina Goes International, Launches First Year With International Lyric Academy, Summer Music Festival

Charlotte, N.C. (June 21, 2023) – Opera Carolina has created a new partnership with the International Lyric Academy (ILA) in Italy to elevate opportunities for emerging opera artists. This summer, more than 100 opera singers and musicians from across the globe arrived in Queen City on June 19, with more arriving on June 26, for three weeks of immersive mentorship, followed by two weeks in Vicenza, training, and performances under the guidance of master teachers, conductors, and directors.

The International Lyric Academy is celebrating 29 years and puts Opera Carolina on the global map, building a bridge between the hearts of Opera in America and Europe. The Opera Carolina Education department undertook auditions and applications from singers and instructors around the world and collaborated with Charlotte businesses like Central Piedmont Community College and Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Charlotte Uptown to create a professional learning and performance experience for the artists and their families.

The ILA will perform a summer festival at Central Piedmont Community College Tate Recital Hall and Halton Theater at 1206 Elizabeth Ave., including free concerts and ticketed performances:

●     Florilegium Concert, June 28 and July 1 at 7 p.m., Tate Recital Hall (Free)

●     Mozart Marathon, June 29 at 7 p.m., Tate Recital Hall (Ticket price $15)

●     Opera Scenes, July 3 at 7 p.m., Tate Recital Hall (Free)

●     Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann (Les contes d’Hoffmann), July 5 and 8 at 7 p.m., Halton

Theater (Ticket price $5-$35)

●     Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), July 6 and 7, Halton Theater (Ticket price

$5-$35)

●     With a Song in My Heart, July 8 at 2 p.m., Halton Theater (Ticket price $15)

Opera Carolina offers a Festival Passport with special pricing for the community and subscribers to purchase and access all ILA performances and concerts this summer. The vision is to foster accessibility, mobility, and opportunities for local and international artists and their families in the Carolinas and worldwide. Find more details about the passport and performances at https://operacarolina.org/ila-festival/.

Quotes

“The partnership with ILA extends Opera Carolina’s commitment to the advancement, mentorship, and workforce development of the next generation of opera artists, orchestra musicians, and artisans to a new level,” stated Opera Carolina’s Artistic Director, James Meena. “The new Festival is a rethinking of Opera Carolina’s mission to serve the community as we create performances that are fully accessible in the accommodating spaces on the Central Piedmont Community College campus. The 2023 edition Academy and Festival will be the first in a growing presence for the Opera during the late spring and early summer.”

James Meena, Artistic Director, Opera Carolina

“It is a pleasure to inaugurate this 29th edition of the International Lyric Academy and to welcome all our emerging artists and professors from all over the world. My embrace goes to all of them, and I wish them to spend these weeks together immersed in a wonderful musical atmosphere. The new collaboration with Opera Carolina and this session of the program in the United States and Italy represent the near future of ILA and a broadening of our horizons for the benefit of many new young people who are working hard to enter the world of opera.”

Stefano Vignati, Artistic Director, International Lyric Academy

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About Opera Carolina

Founded in 1948 by the Charlotte Music Club as a small group of volunteers, Opera Carolina is the largest professional opera company in the Carolinas today, with an operating budget of more than $3.2 million for the fiscal year 2024. Opera Carolina’s mission is to engage and entertain our audiences with relevant performances, programming, and talent development that reflect the ever-changing cultural diversity of our communities. Visit their website at OperaCarolina.org.

About the International Lyric Academy

Founded in 1995 in Rome, Italy, the International Lyric Academy celebrates 29 years of success. In 2023, the ILA will offer an intensive 5-week program starting in Charlotte, NC, on June 19 and continuing in Vicenza, Italy, for the last two weeks. Students will be offered a unique life experience and the possibility to perform in both countries, including special bundled discounts and scholarships. Learn more at http://www.internationallyricacademy.com/.

Media Contact:

Dasia Hood | MEC

847-504-6544

press@operacarolina.org