Belcanto & Verismo Week 2025

The Belcanto and Verismo Week (July 14th-20th 2025, Trieste, Italy) is a specialised higher training course for conservatoire students, graduates and early-career professionals offering expert insight and coaching on the unique challenges and rewarding depths of the Italian operatic repertoire of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Participants will receive individual coaching on Belcanto and Verismo style and technique from internationally respected authorities on this genre. Successful applicants will also benefit from daily, intensive training sessions on the Italian language and diction with a native-speaking language coach, as well as another vital part of an opera singer's education: expert seminars and guidance on the modern-day structure and production model of the major Italian opera houses, the temples of Belcanto and Verismo singing since its inception.

Refine your skills

Benefit from dedicated 1:1 coaching with our internationally renowned faculty, honing not only your technique but your artistic interpretation of the Belcanto and Verismo genres, including Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni and Leoncavallo. Craft your artistic identity while immersed in the language and culture of the home country of opera, with daily coaching and support from a native-speaking Italian language and diction tutor.

Join the Festival

Perform in concert as part of the Una Luce Sempre Accesa Festival. The final recital, open to the public and invited guests, will be held in Trieste's Sala Luttazzi as part of this celebrated annual festival of culture. Organised and produced by the City of Trieste, the Festival is realised in collaboration with major public and private supporters of the Arts. The final recital will also be streamed to an international audience via OperUs' online platforms.

The Home of Belcanto

Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Italian opera in this fully bilingual course, held in the beautiful city of Trieste, Italy. Discover the unbreakable bond between language and music in the "fraseggio" of Belcanto and Verismo styles, and begin to craft your own phrasing following the natural legato of la bella lingua - no prior knowledge of the Italian language is required for this program which unites ancient cultural tradition with technical and artistic innovation.

Refine and apply your skills in the beautiful and complex Italian belcanto and verismo genres
Discover the modern-day structure and production model of the major Italian opera houses
Benefit from dedicated 1:1 tuition from our expert coaches
Perform in the final recital, as part of the Una Luce Sempre Accesa festival
Hone your Italian with our native-speaking teachers
Delve into the history and cultural tradition behind these iconic genres
Experience belcanto and verismo in their home country and cultural context
Join the OperUs alumni community and access benefits including future performance opportunities and exclusive alumni discounts
From study to stage: find out how to really make use of competitions, auditions and academies to launch your career
No barriers to access: tuition payment possible in up to 2 installments, no upper age limits.

Info & applications

1) Application details

Application deadline: All applications must be submitted by May 20th, 2025.

To apply, please send the following documents along to info.operaus@gmail.com

CV/Resumé in English or Italian
HD Photo
A copy of your Passport/ID card
One-two video or audio recordings of an aria by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Mascagni, Leoncavallo.

2) Positions available

The program is open to 10 singers and two pianists, selected by recorded video audition

3) Tuition fees

695€ including VAT, payable in up to 2 installments.

4) Frequently asked questions

Are accommodation and food included in the tuition fee?

Accommodation and food are not included, however, OperUs maintains a list of good local accommodation options for students and participants on our courses and will be happy to put successful applicants in contact with suitable places on request.

Are there any scholarships?

We have received funding to offer two full scholarships for pianists.

What language will lessons be held in?

Lessons and rehearsals will be run bilingually (English-Italian) thanks to our fully bilingual staff body. Prior knowledge of the Italian language is therefore not required.