The Juilliard School - Vocal Arts/Opera

Music Division
Vocal Arts/Opera
Performance Activities

A scene from Smetana's The Bartered Bride. (Photo by Nan Melville)

Performance is at the heart of study at Juilliard. Every student has the opportunity to sing in at least one fully-staged opera each year. Recent operas include Mozart's The Magic Flute, Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges, Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Smetana's The Bartered Bride, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, and the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann's Miss Lonelyhearts, commissioned as part of Juilliard's centennial celebration. Opera Studies classes emphasize scene and aria study, character development, acting, and ensemble work, and culminate with public showings. A regular series of recitals pairs singers with student collaborative pianists or with senior faculty coaches for the opportunity to explore the rich song repertoire. In addition, Juilliard is an important presence in the musical life of New York City, providing opportunities that do not exist at any other music conservatory. In recent seasons, Vocal Arts students have sung with the Juilliard Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, in recital at Alice Tully Hall, with the New York Philharmonic, the New York Festival of Song, and in collaborations with Juilliard's Dance Division.

Juilliard regularly invites esteemed guest artists, including some of the world's most notable singers, directors, and conductors to share their knowledge in master classes. Recent guests have included Leontyne Price, Renata Scotto, Thomas Hampson, Sir David Atherton, Stephen Wadsworth, Regina Resnik, Victoria Clark, and José Van Dam.

Opera Studies classes are an important part of the Vocal Arts curriculum at Juilliard. In addition to fulfilling academic requirements necessary to complete each degree program, singers at Juilliard receive special training that addresses the unique demands of opera performance. For a more detailed description of Opera Studies at Juilliard, please go to the Programs of Study page.

Following is a list of vocal performance activities in which students in the Vocal Arts Department may participate. Please click on the name to find out more.

Alice Tully Vocal Arts Debut Recital
Liederabends
Master Classes
Songbooks
Vocal Arts Honors Recital