Opera Studio
About Iowa State University Opera Studio
Students can gain valuable experience in the field by participating in ISU Opera Studio. Iowa State University’s intensive, student-centered opera program allows students to interact with faculty who are still active in the field and prepare for careers in performance and education. Our close proximity to Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) and Cedar Rapids Opera (CRO) allows students the opportunity to further their experience in the field and interact with professional artists in performance. The Opera Studio has also provided students with several opportunities to participate in Master Classes with world-renowned singers and educators such as Molly Fillmore, Morris Robinson, Martin Katz, and Sherrill Milnes.
2023-2024 Projects
Midsummer Masque
The Miller's Daughter
Program Projects
Our program is structured around the following projects:
Fall Semester
An auditioned course in which students present either an opera scenes program or one-act chamber opera(s). May include a community outreach tour.
Spring Semester
A process-based course in which singers can learn the "skills of the trade" from professors who are currently working in the field. Topics include:
- History
- Stage Deportment
- Acting
- Small Scene/Aria Preparation
- Crossover Repertoire
- Recitative
- Audition Preparation
Alternate Years
A fully staged opera with an orchestra. Past productions include:
- Street Scene by Kurt Weill
- Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell
- Cendrillon (Cinderella) by Pauline Viardot
- Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck
- Orpheus in the Underworld by Jacques Offenbach