belcantanti

Welcome to Bel Cantanti, an opera company within the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area devoted to giving performance experience to both seasoned and aspiring professionals. Between the beautiful singing and glorious music, you will find yourself thoroughly captivated.

"Bel Cantanti Opera continues to be one of the best kept musical secrets in the Washington area."

AllArtsreview4u

"The future of opera as fun rather than spectacle or museum piece, lies with such groups as Bel Cantanti Opera."

Washington Post

"Bel Cantanti… reaffirmed the belief that we are living in a golden age of opera and the hope that opera in America has a promising feature. Bel Cantanti … makes the special magic of opera happen.”
Washington Post

“… an absolute delight for opera aficionados and the perfect opportunity for timid newbies to be surprised at just how much fun opera can be.”

Washington Times

"Bel Cantanti Opera has emerged as a great showcase for area talent."

Arlington Weekly News TV

"Bel Cantanti…shows a serious, focused orientation, high ambition and significant potential."

Washington Post

Education

Summer Festival

Bel Cantanti and Catholic University joint Summer Opera Festival 2012

Festival Faculty and Guest Artistis

Katerina Souvorova: BCO director, festival producer, artistic director.

Rick Christman: voice technician; Fabiana Bravo: voice lessons; Sharon Christman: voice lessons.

Henriette Lund: French diction, coachings (Carmen), Mattia D'Affuso: Italian diction (Le Nozze di Figaro).

Guillaume Toirniaire: stage director (Carmen), Peter Kozma: stage director (Le Nozze di Figaro).

Kathleen Scott: conductor (Le Nozze di Figaro); Joel Borrelli - Boudreau, Katerina Souvorova: conductors (Carmen).

Giovanni Reggioli: Italian Bel Canto; Katerina Souvorova: Russian Diction; Kethia Clairevoyant: Yoga.

James Parker: vocal coachings; David Ballena: vocal coachings; Nicholas Catravas: rehearsal pianist, coachings; Seyoung Jeong: coachings, accompanist; Kaime Henkel: accompanist; David Hill: vocal coachings, accompanist.

Festival Performances

Friday, June 15, 7:30pm, C. Bizet Carmen

Saturday, June 16 , 3:00pm, W. Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro

Saturday, June 16, 7.30pm, An Evening of Arias and Opera Scenes

Sunday, June 17, 3:00pm, C. Bizet Carmen

Sunday, June 17, 7.30pm, W. Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro

All festival performances are presented at the Ward Hall of the Benjamin T.Rome School of Music, at Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington DC 20064

Mission of the Festival

Members of Bel Cantanti Opera company strongly believe that giving a chance to young singers to develop their talent makes a big difference in the future of Opera.

Our mission was greatly understood and supported by late critic emeritus of the Washington Post, Joseph McLellan, who wrote:

"As often as I have enjoyed rich costumes, elaborate scenery, spectacular stage effects and a virtuoso orchestra in opera productions from Vienna to San Francisco, I keep coming back to the idea that the voices are what matter the most, the reason that people choose to go to an opera rather than a spoken play that is likely to come across with more clarity and logic.
Next to voices, I would put acting skills: the ability to portray character and tell a story while singing, usually, in a foreign language.

Opera Bel Cantanti reaffirmed my long-held belief that we are living in a golden age of opera. And my hope that opera, specifically opera in America, has a promising future. Bel Cantanti is not prominent among America's thousand-plus opera companies, and perhaps never will be. But it makes the special magic of opera happen."