BACK FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ANDREA VAN PELT, GENA VAN OOSTEN, IRINA MEDVEDEVA FRONT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: AMANDA TESTINI, NICHOLAS BORG, DAEVYD PEPPER PHOTO BY WOLF & WAGNER PHOTOGRAPHY
VANCOUVER OPERA’S YULANDA M. FARIS
YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM Vancouver Opera’s current young artists program commenced in 2012, thanks to the generous support of Yulanda M. Faris and her family. More than 40 singers, répétiteurs, and stage directors have been trained through this program at a tempo of six artists per year. The young musicians experience professional training from the in-house music staff—specifically foreign language coaching, style and interpretation sessions, ornamentation and cadenza tutorials, and Italian recitative workshops. They also receive musical mentorship from visiting conductors and international opera singers and gain performance and stage experience through their comprimario roles and understudy assignments. As understudies (or covers), they are often called upon to sing orchestra rehearsals if a principal artist falls ill. This apprenticeship training at Vancouver Opera helps to bridge the gap between post-secondary education and full-time
freelance opera and theatre work. Once these young artists complete the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists program, they are more enlightened and prepared to assume professional gigs on a fuller scale. Each year, several generous donors sponsor individual artists in the program. This year’s generous sponsors of our Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program include: Mohammed A. Faris & Family, Ms. Martha Lou Henley, C.M., The Bruendl Foundation, Pat Charles, Mike & Kathy Gallagher, The Edwina and Paul Heller Memorial Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation, Dr. George Luciuk and Dr. Lidia Schuster, Mrs. Irene McEwen, and Ms. Jane McLennan. Dr. Kinza Tyrrell, Principal Coach, Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program
TO SUPPORT YOUNG ARTIST TRAINING AT VANCOUVER OPERA, CONTACT CARMEN MURPHY AT CMURPHY@VANCOUVEROPERA.CA OR 604 331 4832
VANCOUVER OPERA | THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
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