. Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu joins a distinguished roster of artists sharing their skills with the singers of the future at the 8th Georg Solti Accademia this summer, along with Sir Richard Bonynge and Dennis O’Neill. Her own encounter with Sir George Solti was formative: it was his decision to engage the young singer as Violetta at Covent Garden which launched her career.
Gheorghiu takes time out of her busy schedule to work with a cosmopolitan group of 12 students - specially selected from 180 applicants - on the techniques of bel canto singing she has developed over a dazzling career. Conductor Sir Richard Bonynge will bring a lifetime’s experience of the operas of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi to his coaching, as will the legendary tenor Dennis O’Neill. These three artists join a superlative faculty who will cover all aspects of the operatic craft from vocal coaching, Italian language and diction to stage direction, led by young director Alexander Zeldin. Previous guest artists include José Carreras, Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Thomas Allen, Mirella Freni and Leo Nucci.
This year’s group of young singers on the brink of operatic careers represent ten different countries, ranging from Armenia and Austria to Russia, Turkey, UK and the Ukraine, from 19-year-old German soprano Johanna Will to 29 year-old Armenian bass Arshak Kuzikyan.
