Q & A: Voice Teacher Bill Schuman on 30 Years at AVA & Receiving the Distinguished Achievement in the Arts Award

On Saturday, March 28th, the Academy of Vocal Arts will celebrate its 85th anniversary with BrAVA Philadelphia! For the first time 80 years, The Met Philadelphia stage will showcase some of the best-known singers in the world. The gala will honor the internationally recognized voice teacher Bill Schuman, bestowing upon him the AVA Distinguished Achievement in the Arts Award. Schuman {…}

Feb 24, 2020

AVA to Present Spring Recital of Forgotten Opera Excerpts by Massenet

AVA will showcase a unique recital entitled “Forgotten Opera Excerpts by Jules Massenet” on May 3 and 5, 2020 at the Helen Corning Warden Theater. Pianist and Music Director Audrey Saint-Gil will lead the evening with resident artists performing select duets and arias. The performers include Aubry Ballarò, Claire de Monteil, Yihan Duan, Emily Margevich, Renée Richardson, Alice Chung, Chelsea Laggan, {…}

Jan 7, 2020

AVA Announces Winter Recital

The Academy of Vocal Arts is set to present its Winter Recital on Jan. 14 and 16, 2020. The recital will feature Jeannine B. Cowles Music Director Chair Maestro Christofer Macatsoris and José Meléndez on piano. Soloists will be announced soon and will be made up of students currently studying at the famed institution. The special two-night engagements will feature {…}

Nov 11, 2019

Michael Fabiano, Angela Meade, Bryan Hymel To Star in Historic Performance At Philadelphia’s Metropolitan Opera House

The Academy of Vocal Arts is set to showcase “BrAVA Philadelphia!” at Philadelphia’s Metropolitan Opera House on March 28, 2020. This event, which marks the first opera performance at the hallowed house in over 80 years, will feature such star singers as Angela Meade, Latonia Moore, Michael Fabiano, Bryan Hymel, Taylor Stayton , Vanessa Vasquez, Hannah Ludwig, and André Courville. {…}

Jun 29, 2019

AVA Announces New Resident Artists

AVA has announced six new Resident Artists to the opera academy. The incoming class of Resident Artists includes soprano Emily Margevich, bass Cody Müller, tenor Zachary Rioux, tenor Sahel Salam, mezzo-soprano Anne Marie Stanley, and bass Griffen Hogan Tracy. The six residents come from Philadelphia, Colorado, Chicago, Princeton, and New Brunswick, Canada. Margevich comes from the DePaul University School of Music {…}

May 9, 2019

AVA Names New Vice President and General Manager

K. James McDowell, President and Artistic Director of the Academy fo Vocal Arts, has announced that Scott Guzielek has been appointed the Vice President and General Manager of the institution, effective July 1, 2019. The newly created role will have Guzielek responsible for the overall administrative management of the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) and will collaborate with President and Artistic {…}

Jan 3, 2019

AVA To Present Dvořák’s ‘Rusalka’ For The First Time

The Academy of Vocal Arts begins 2019 with a production Dvořák’s “Rusalka,” an opera that it will present for the first time ever in the academy’s 84-year history. The opera is set to star Kara Mulder in the title role, John Myers and Piotr Buszewski as the Prince and Claire de Monteil and Renée Richardson as the Foreign Princess. Alice Chung and Chelsea {…}

Aug 10, 2017

AVA Opera Announces 2017-18 Season

The Academy of Vocal Arts Opera has announced its 2017-18 season. The season will begin with New Artist Recitals on Sept. 19 and 21 at Helen Corning Warden Theater, AVA. It will be followed by the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition on Oct. 7 at the Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center. On Nov. 4 audiences will be able to see Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” with Christofer Macatsoris {…}