Courtesy of Katie Caviness ’25
Five Connecticut College vocal studies students were given a special opportunity this July: to sing opera in the Italian municipality of Greve in Chianti. Adjunct Associate Professor of Music Jurate Švedaite Waller invited Kate Rubel ‘24, Katie Caviness ‘25, Mia Jurkunas ‘24, Jane Park-Stettner ‘25, and Carly Zirlen ‘25 on the summer trip because she performs with the Connecticut Lyric Opera, one of the sponsoring companies for the Greve Opera Academy and Music Festival. According to the academy’s website, “Greve Opera Academy & Music Festival is for young opera singers who seek the opportunity to perform leading roles in fully staged opera productions with a professional orchestra.”
Joined by six students from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, the five Conn students had an intensive schedule of rehearsals, lessons, and master classes each day to improve their vocal skills and ultimately prepare them for their performances. They performed George Frideric Handel’s opera Giulio Cesare in addition to the oratorios (longer church pieces) Magnificat by Antonio Vivaldi and Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. These performances took place in Greve-in-Chianti and in Florence. “A typical day included chorus rehearsal for the opera and ensemble pieces from roughly 9 a.m. to noon, followed by lunch, vocal lessons, and siesta from noon to 4 p.m.,” Rubel described. “The day concluded with either dinner and group rehearsal or dinner and individual review.”
The master classes made the students’ experience in Italy especially unique and valuable. Rubel explained that “besides working with our vocal instructors and choirmaster, we participated in many masterclasses led by professional opera singers including Armando Ariostini, Giacomo Benedetti, Valeria Esposito, and Paolo Bellucci. It was prodigious to learn from professionals and to hear their tips and tricks for making it in the industry.” Rubel, Caviness, and Park-Stettner felt that their vocal skills improved significantly as a result of the intense training they received during their trip. Caviness expressed, “I have wanted to sing classically for a very long time, but I never had the time to be trained before. Going to Italy, the heart of where opera was born, really meant a lot to me. I grew so much during my time there, especially in my vocal technique, and I think it would have taken a lot longer to get to this point had it not been for the unique experiences and coaching I had there.” Similarly, Rubel explained that her “overarching goal is to become classically trained to sing opera and musical theater pieces successfully.” She continued, “Being a part of the Greve Opera Music Festival helped me to understand and relearn the basic tools necessary for a strong foundation in classical voice.”
Despite their busy schedule, the students had time for sightseeing in and around Tuscany. “It was really amazing to be right in the middle of town every day, so we could experience Italian culture and get to know the locals,” Caviness shared. “We got to take day trips to Florence and Siena, and being able to see some of the architecture of the churches and the content of the museums left me really awe-struck,” she continued. Students were also able to watch professional performances in the area. Rubel recalled, “The most memorable concert was performed in a beautifully painted church in the center of Florence: a harpsichord/organ, violin, and mezzo-soprano trio…The concert was absolutely beautiful; I could hear the artist’s passion through their performance. It was a reminder that the art itself is always the most important thing.” They all agree that the trip was a culturally enriching experience as well as an educational experience.
As all five students are involved in Conn’s wide variety of music programs, the lessons they learned in Italy will pay off throughout the course of their academic journeys. Rubel is a Music Studies major, as well as a member of the ConnChords a capella group and a vocalist in the Jazz Band. Caviness is considering minoring or double majoring in Music Studies, and she is a member of the Vox Cameli a capella group. Rubel, Caviness, and Jurkunas all performed in the Conn spring musical, Cabaret.
These students took full advantage of the rare opportunity to travel in a small group and spend time perfecting their craft in a beautiful, historic area. ParkStettner expressed, “I was very anxious to go at first; I was going to a foreign country for three weeks to participate in an opera and learn classical music. [I would be] living by myself and only knew a few other people on the trip. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but overall I had an amazing experience and I was so happy I went.” The five Conn students were very grateful to have traveled to Greve in Chianti and performed operas in a professional setting. “It was an experience I will never forget,” Park-Stettner concluded.
