Today was a regular class day here in Spoleto, but we ended the evening with a ballet performance as part of the Festival dei Due Mondi (the famous Spoleto festival with a partner festival in Charleston, SC). The Hamburg Ballet performed several pieces, one of which featured live music by Chopin. The performance took place outdoors in the Roman Theater, so we got to experience some of the ancient history of Spoleto at the same time.
Spotlight: Vocal and Instrumental Music
We have a fantastic group of musicians at Spoleto Study Abroad this year! All of the music students spend an hour together each morning. The morning class ranges from movement and acting class to music theory and history of opera.
Each afternoon begins with choir, where we are learning a wide range of music including a piece by a 17th-century nun, a Mendelssohn trio, and some Rodgers and Hammerstein. Our rehearsals take place in the Chiesa di Sant’Agata, and the acoustics are glorious! Angelo, an incredible local organist and composer, accompanies the choir and coaches the singers in their solo and duets work. After choir, the instrumentalists meet with Niccolo for private instruction.
The rest of the evening classes for the singers are divided into private voice lessons and work on their operatic and musical theater duets. Each singer has a duet from Le Nozze di Figaro, so this week we have focused on proper Italian pronunciation and solidifying the technical elements of the music. Next week, we will start blocking. The singers have all been incredibly supportive of one another, which makes all of our music-making that much better. It’s a great, talented, funny, and kind group of young women!
