Jack Swanson & Michael Spyres to Kickoff Guild Hall and Bel Canto Boot Camp Resident Artist Program and Series

By Chris Ruel

Guild Hall and Bel Canto Boot Camp (BCBC) has announced the formation of a new Resident Artist Program and Series that will support an emerging generation of opera singers and bring operatic performances and community engagement programs to Long Island’s East End.

Internationally recognized star artists baritenor Michael Spyres and tenor Jack Swanson will kick off the 2022 launch, joining Resident Artists as mentors in masterclasses and colleagues in concert.

The week-long residencies in the Hamptons, New York, are paid and offer each singer individualized training with BCBC coaches and space for role preparation and scene study on-site in East Hampton. Resident Artists will also engage with the Guild Hall Teen Arts Council and other education and arts organizations in the Hamptons communities. Bel Canto Boot Camp will offer education events before recitals and separately.

Applications are open for summer and fall residencies. There is no cost to apply or audition, and Guild Hall and BCBC offer virtual options for singers not based in New York.

This season’s recitals are listed below.

The season kicks off with “Beautiful Singing: The Roots and Fruits of the Bel Canto Style,” featuring guest artist Jack Swanson, Resident Artist Katherine Henly, and pianists Rachelle Jonck and Derrick Goff for an evening of opera, film, musical theater, and song.

Performance Date: May 20, 2022

In July, the organizations will present “The Potions of Love: Bel Canto Arias and Ensembles,” with Resident Artists Brittany Smith, Juan Hernandez, and others, along with Rachelle Jonck and Derrick Goff at the piano. The artists will perform Bel Canto scenes and arias.

Performance Date: July 30, 2022

Guest Artist Michael Spyres will join with the Resident Artists and pianists Rachelle Jonck and Derrick Goff to present “Michael Spyres & Bel Canto Boot Camp: A Bel Canto Journey.” Spyres and the Resident artists will take audiences through the star’s favorite Bel Canto repertoire.

Performance Date: Oct. 15, 2022

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