About Dutch National Opera Studio

The Dutch National Opera Studio programme is a two-year traineeship for singers and répétiteurs, which aims to prepare young talent for an international opera career. The Opera Studio combines workshops and coaching with a wide range of professional experiences. Artistic leader is the internationally renowned soprano Rosemary Joshua

About the studio

The Opera Studio was launched in September 2018. The carefully selected participants gain important experience by participating in the professional environment of Dutch National Opera and are coached in every aspect of their professional development. In this way they gain crucial experience to give wings to their professional career.

The participants of the Opera Studio perform at lunch concerts and foyer evenings, take part in workshops from international directors and coaches, sing small roles on the big stage and perform starring roles in the annual Opera Studio production.

The pianist/répétiteur of the Opera Studio is coached by the music staff of Dutch National Opera and mentored by DNO’s Chief Conductor as well as guest conductors. The pianist/répétiteur participates in every aspect of the preparation of opera and is fully involved in all Studio activities.

The studio members 2023/2024

The Dutch National Opera Studio members of season 2023/2024 are:
Sophia Hunt (soprano)
Martina Myskohlid (mezzo-soprano)
Jake Ingbar (countertenor)
Salvador Villanueva (tenor)
Georgiy Derbas-Richter (baritone) 
Mark Kurmanbayev (bass)
Amy Chang (répétiteur) 
Daniel Ruiz de Cenzano Caballero (répétiteur) 

Members season 2023/2024
Daniel Ruiz de Cenzano Caballero
Daniel Ruiz de Cenzano Caballero
Répétiteur
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Dutch National Opera Studio celebrates its 5 year anniversary!

This season our beloved Dutch National Opera Studio celebrates its 5-year anniversary! To celebrate this milestone we released a brand new YouTube series on 25 October (World Opera Day!), starring Dutch National Opera Studio. Watch the various episodes below!

Inside the Opera Studio: Becoming an artist | #1 Finding Focus

Sophia Hunt

Inside the Opera Studio: Becoming an artist | #2 Building Trust Through Artistic Energy

Rosemary Joshua

Inside the Opera Studio: Becoming an artist | #3 The Eureka Moment

Inside the Opera Studio met Jake Ingbar

INSIDE THE OPERA STUDIO: BECOMING AN ARTIST | #4 ELIMINATING TENSION

Salvador Villanueva

INSIDE THE OPERA STUDIO: BECOMING AN ARTIST | #5 Finding Authentic Sound

Martina Myskohlid (mezzosopraan)

INSIDE THE OPERA STUDIO: BECOMING AN ARTIST | #6 Finding Ease in Making Sound

Bass Mark Kurmanbayev
La Cenerentola

How are our alumni doing?

That the Opera Studio is a true breeding ground for opera stars, is proven by the alumni of the Studio themselves! 

De Studio and then ...

Julietta Aleksanyan

Soprano Julietta Aleksanyan was a member of the Dutch National Opera Studio during the 2018-2019 season. She experienced her time at Dutch National Opera Studio as a place where she was formed as an artist and where she gained a lot of knowledge about music, languages, singing, communication and the opera industry.

Since leaving, Julietta has sung in Loy's production of Rusalka at Teatro Real (Spain) and participated in the co-production of L'elisir d'amore by Opera Zuid, Dutch National Opera and the Nederlandse Reisopera. In 2021 she joined the ensemble of Staatstheater Mainz. Here she sang various roles such as that of Sandrina in Mozart's La finta giardiniera, Ännchen in Weber's Der Freischütz, Despina in Mozart's Così fan tutte, Anna in Verdi's Nabucco, Marzelline in Beethoven's Fidelio and in July 2023 she will sing the role of Medoro in Porpora's L'Angelica at the Staatstheater Mainz.
 

Sam Carl

Bass baritone Sam Carl was part of the Dutch National Opera Studio from 2019 to 2021. Since his departure Sam Carl has sung at the Bayerische Staatsoper as Panthée in Les Troyens, during the Glyndebourne Tour as Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress, at the Staatstheater Darmstadt as Colline in La bohème and he also performed the title role in Don Quichotte there, at Opera Vlaanderen he made his debut with Mephistopheles, Evil Spirit and Pater Profundus in Schumann's Szenen aus Goethes Faust. In season 2022-2023, he returned to Dutch National Opera as Der Holzhacker in Christof Loy's Köningskinder. In May 2024, Sam Carl sings the role of Betto di Signa in Il trittico at Dutch National Opera.

Frederik Bergman

Bass-baritone Frederik Bergman was a member of Dutch National Opera Studio during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons. He experienced his time at Dutch National Opera Studio as a place to build self-confidence and to continue to grow. Because he worked with many different people, he learned to be flexible. Despite the COVID measures, Dutch National Opera Studio did continue coaching and (streaming) performances. This ensured that he stayed in shape and continued to grow.

After his departure, Frederik has not been idle, having had the opportunity to sing roles for Dutch National Opera, including Masetto in Don Giovanni, Lord Rochefort in Anna Bolena, Zuniga in Carmen, King Pygmalion in Operetta Land, Achillea in Giulio Cesare and Mr. Pilkington in Animal Farm. He has also sung several roles at the Concertgebouw after Dutch National Opera Studio at the Saturday Matinee such as Starek in Jenůfa and Cirillo in Fedora. He also performs regularly with a wide repertoire accompanied by various orchestras. Season 2022-2023 he sang the role of Don Fernando in Fidelio at Nederlandse Reisopera and he concluded this season with John Adams' opera The Death of Klinghoffer at the Concertgebouw at the Saturday Matinee. Season 2023-2024 he returns in various roles with Dutch National Opera.
 

José Simerilla Romero

Tenor José Simerilla Romera was a member of Dutch National Opera Studio during season 2020-2021. He experienced his time at Dutch National Opera Studio as an important step in his career and a safe place to continue developing as an artist.

After leaving here, José has sung several roles including that of Jaquino in Fidelio, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto at the Florida Grand Opera, the Shepherd in Oedipus Rex and Corrado in II Corsaro at the Opera Festival of Chicago. Currently, José is a member of the Staatsoper Hannover (Germany). In addition to performing in Hamlet in Berlin, he has auditions on the agenda to further expand his career in Europe.
 

Gloria Giurgola

Soprano Gloria Giurgola was a member of Dutch National Opera Studio during the 2018-2019 season. She experienced her presence at Dutch National Opera Studio as a time for cultural, professional and personal growth.

After leaving Dutch National Opera Studio, Gloria has sung in such works as: Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Bregenzer Festspiele music festival in Austria (2019), in Bizet's Carmen in Italy, in Handel's Rinaldo she sang a role (Armida) in a baroque opera for the first time, in Mozart's Coronation Mass she soloed, accompanied by the Magna Grecia Orchestra, after a won preselection in Mozart's Mitridate re di ponto where she sang for the first time at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza (Italy), and in Puccini's La bohème as Musetta with the Nederlands Reisopera. Currently Gloria is in Italy where she teaches singing at the Spazio Theatro which she directs with her sister and partner.
 

Polly Leech 

Mezzo-soprano Polly Leech was a member of Dutch National Opera Studio during the 2018-2019 season. Polly saw her time at Dutch National Opera Studio as a time to build her career as an opera singer. Here she learned how to reach her full potential, how to develop her voice and built self-confidence.

After leaving, Polly had the opportunity to sing several roles such as Tisbe in Rossini's La Cenerentola and Dorabella in Mozart's Così fan tutte, for which she won the Leonard Ingrams prize for exceptional performance. She also sang the role of Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice and the Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte. In 2023, several performances are planned for Polly such as the role of Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos at Garsington Opera, furthermore, she will sing in Berlioz' Les nuits d'été with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and sing the role of Annio in La clemenza di Tito for the first time.

Cody Quattlebaum

Bass-baritone Cody Quattlebaum was a member of Dutch National Opera Studio during the 2018-2019 season. His time here helped him develop himself as an artist and singer under the guidance of Sophie de Lint, Rosemary Joshua and Damià Carbonell Nicolau, among others.

After leaving Dutch National Opera Studio, Cody has sung at various theaters including Teatro Real (Madrid, Spain), Royal Opera House (London, England), San Francisco Opera (California, United States), Israeli Opera (Tel Aviv, Israel) and Opéra national du Rhin (Strasbourg, France). This year, Cody sang in the world premiere of Salvatore Sciarrino's Venere e Adone at Hamburg State Opera, collaborated with conductor Klaus Makela and the Oslo-Philharmonic, and performed with Richard Egarr and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco.
 

Adam Rogala

Répétiteur Adam Rogala was a member of Dutch National Opera Studio during season 2021-2022. Adam saw his time at Dutch National Opera Studio as an opportunity to learn the intricacies of singing under the guidance of great artists. So too from the head of the studio, Rosemary Joshua.

After a year in Amsterdam, he ended up as a repetiteur at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt in Austria. He still performs and accompanies singers at master classes and competitions.
 

Daan Boertien

Daan Boertien was a répétiteur at Dutch National Opera Studio during the 2019-2020 season. He experienced his time at Dutch National Opera Studio as an opportunity to further develop his musical career. He learned a lot of new repertoire, learned to accompany singers and play piano 'like an orchestra'.

Since leaving, he has recorded a cd together with Michael Wilmering featuring Schubert's Winterreise, has worked as vocal coach for Dutch National Opera Academy, was music director for Dutch National Opera Academies Triple Bill in January 2022, has performed with Michael Wilmering (April 2022) and Raoul Steffani (November 2022) at the Concertgebouw and has performed with Benjamin Appl in London, Berlin, Hamburg, Schloss, Elmau and Budapest, among other places. Many performances are also planned for Daan in the coming year, including at the Concertgebouw (December 2023), in Hamburg with Roderick Williams (October 2023) and in Cadiz and Paris (March-April 2023).

 

Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Singers Ian Castro, Inna Demenkova, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Maya Gour and Elenora Hu
Kings & Queens - Opera Paradiso 2023| Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Scene from Dido and Aeneas (2022) | Photo: Eduardus Lee
Il matrimonio segreto
Il matrimonio segreto
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Ritratto
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Auditions for Dutch National Opera Studio 2019

Opera Studio audition

Auditions

Registration for the auditions of the Dutch National Opera Studio - for singers and répétiteurs in season 2024/2025 - has now closed. 

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