Sigma Alpha Iota

Philanthropies Awar 2 0 2 3 S I G M A A L P H A I O T A Fall 2023 48 By Hannah C. Comia L ocated in the heart of Montefeltrio, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, is the charming town Novafeltria. Nestled between the Adriatic Sea and Apennine Mountains, this town has a population of 7000, a few (really yummy) gelaterias, and the Teatro Sociale. I had the chance to live in Novafeltria this summer, as a fellowship pianist with Classic Lyric Arts (CLA). For a little over two and a half weeks, supported through a Professional Development and Education Career Grant from SAI Philanthropies, Inc., I studied the bel canto repertoire while immersed in Italian culture and language. Classic Lyric Arts Italy was the original program started by artistic director Glenn Morton in 2009. Aer meeting fellow coach Ubaldo Fabbri and observing his teaching of Italian language and opera repertoire, they became friends and started this language-based young artist training program. Since 2009, they've expanded to CLA France in 2012, and then CLA Berkshires in 2022. It was at the latter program that I met Glenn, the CLA faculty and team, and other artists. Aer a wonderful experience in the Berkshires mountains studying Mozart opera in July 2022, I had the opportunity to return to CLA this year, only this time in Italy. As a pianist, my typical day consisted of rehearsals, coachings, and classes. I usually started the day at Italian class with Ilaria Ciccioni. (note: I truly began my days with a cappuccino and a croissant from one of the local coffee bars.) en I would play coachings with either stage director Daniel Isengart or CLA executive director John Viscardi. ese coachings were with singers working on arias from La Boheme to Rigoletto to La Traviata. Aer a lunch break, usually consisting of delicious pastas, pizzas, or regional specialty dishes, I would have aernoon rehearsals with coach-conductor Michelle Rofrano or coach-composer Raphael Fusco. My ensembles performed a Monteverdi madrigal and scenes from Puccini's La Rondine and Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri. When we were not having rehearsals, we had masterclasses with the faculty that ranged from secco and accompagnato recitative to following conductors as singers or rehearsal pianists to navigating the opera industry. We also had chorus rehearsals on a new work written by Raphael for CLA. Aer a quick eight days of rehearsals, we began our A Summer in Novafeltria The pianists for CLA Italy 2023. The pianists for CLA Italy 2023.

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