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Madelyn Hasebein, Soprano
I am beyond grateful to have participated in the Lucca Bel Canto Institute! Everything from the secluded and peaceful environment, the delicious food, the company and camaraderie with other musicians, and the structure of the program encouraged my growth as an artist from a technical, emotional, and spiritual perspective. Julia and Ferdinand are the most thoughtful instructors with whom I’ve ever worked, and they make an excellent team for training singers. I had so many moments of mental and physical transformation, and by the end of one week I’ve become a completely different singer ready to embark on a full time performance career. If you are thinking about participating in Lucca Bel Canto - do it! It just might change your life, like it changed mine.
We invite you to come on a journey-- a time that you create to make time for yourself and your voice. Away from the demands and distractions of our busy lives and performing schedules. Come join us in August 2024 for our annual Lucca Bel Canto Institute at Il monastero dell’angelo in the hills outside Lucca, Italy.
Here, you will have the time and space to focus on your craft. During these 9 days, you will have daily lessons and coachings to refine and calibrate your vocal technique with the principles of Bel Canto, with special attention regarding posture, appoggio, portamento, legato, messa di voce, registration and vowel balance. The aim is to refine the use of the singing voice naturally and economically, and to acquire the ability to harmonize a secure singing technique with one's own artistic expression. In addition, we will be tying all our technical work together and harmonizing our minds, hearts, and bodies, to deliver our purest artistic intentions.
This retreat is egalitarian in the sense that we strive to assemble a diverse group- with one common goal- to grow deeper within the art of singing. These different perspectives help enhance the learning environment and the atmosphere of wholeness and acceptance. Because of the nature of this program, we are limited in the number of participants we can accept. This keeps the quality of instruction, and the individual-focus at a premium for each participant.
This retreat is for you:
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If you’re mid-career and you feels things in your voice that are not as easy as they used to be.
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If you’re making a fach change and would like the time/space to facilitate the transition.
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If you feel stuck vocally, and haven’t been able to break through that next level.
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If things are working well, but you want to take your technique to the next level.
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If you would like to come to Italy and immerse yourself in the vocal arts!
Come join us, and be a part of this special journey.
Julia Radosz & Ferdinand von Bothmer, Founders
A Day in the Life
The Lucca Bel Canto Institute is a sanctuary away from the demands of daily life. For one week, we come together as a family- singing, learning, eating, communing and working together. We wake up in the morning in the beautiful hills of Lucca, and join our colleagues for a lovely breakfast and fellowship. Then we all congregate for a group warm-up, led by either Ferdinand or Julia. After breakfast, we commence with our masterclasses. These masterclass sessions will be divided into both technique and repertoire sessions, which are open, private voice lessons, but intended for every participant to be present. During these sessions, we will focus on what the individual needs to refine their technique in the most significant way. Each approach is tailor-made, yet deeply-rooted in the principles of Bel Canto vocal technique. In this way, we learn not only by doing, but by watching and immersing ourselves in problem-solving and strategy. By supporting our colleagues, we learn to a greater extent, and vice-versa.
In the midst of the busy masterclass schedule, there will be times for individual coachings as well where musical elements & style will be addressed. We will also hold in depth discussions which will include everything from vocal technique to mindset as we navigate our way through life as a singing artist. During our evening dinners, we will have impromptu concerts, which is a way of sharing and collaborating with each other during this restorative time. We hope to build a supportive community during this week that will invigorate the mind, body, and spirit and provide renewed direction as you move towards your musical goals.
Topics to be addressed
Posture
The optimal handling of the body in space for ideal sound production. Alignment of the head, neck, shoulders, and spine will be assessed for each individual.
Appoggio
The leaning or “supporting” of the voice, and the appropriate use of the body muscles in assisting this process. This form of breath support stems directly from Bel Canto technique.
Phonation
The coordination of the vocal cords towards optimum closure and function. Proper onset and offset techniques will be analyzed and refined.
Registration
The building and balancing of the registers of the voice as well as the navigation throughout the range of the instrument. Accompanying this topic will be the practice and refinement of the messa di voce.
Articulation
The technique that allows the freedom of the tongue, jaw, facial muscles and lips to produce the requisite sounds of singing both in consonant production and vowels.
INTERPRETATION
The art of combining technique, musicality, and dramatic intent to create a riveting, unique performance suited to each individual.
Julia Radosz
Master Teacher
Co-Founder
Along with her career as an opera singer, Julia has been teaching voice for over 15 years. Her clients have performed with companies such as La Scala, Deutsche Oper, The Metropolitan Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Houston Grand Opera, Salzburger Festspiele, Theater an der Wien, Finnish National Opera, Sarasota Opera, Chautauqua Opera and more. In addition, they have been seen in National Tours of Phantom of the Opera. received many honors including advancements at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition, Miss America pageants, Classical Singer competitions, and Vocal Scholarships for conservatories and universities. In addition, Julia has pioneered several areas in vocal technique, specifically including work with tongue-ties and myofunctional ability in singers, whistle voice funciton, and respiratory training in singers. Her speciality lies in helping restore head voice and thin edge fold function to singers, training the tongue/facial/lip muscles to support healthy vocal production, and correcting registrational issues.
Julia Radosz has been praised for her “illustrious and flowing voice” (Kansas City Metropolis) and for her “astonishing performance, brilliant soprano and thrilling embellishments that were augmented by the most subtle and heart-rending acting”. The 2023 season began with a debut with Hrvatsko Narodno Kazalište Split (National Croatian Theater of Split) as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera. Other engagements in the 2022-2023 season include a debut of Mimi in La Boheme in St. Augustine, a tour of La Boheme (Musetta) throughout theaters in Spain and France. The 2020-2021 season, included a debut with National Moravian-Silesian Theater in Czech Republic as Marietta/Marie in Korngold’s Die tote Stadt, an opera gala the Metropolitny Orchester Bratislava, an opera gala in Prešov, Slovakia, and solo recitals at The Palffy Palac in Bratislava, at Peterskirche in Vienna, featuring Liszt’s Tre sonetti di Petrarca and Strauss’ Four Last Songs.
Previous performances include Madama Butterfly and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus (Staller Center for the Arts) as well as Musetta (La Bohème) with Wichita Grand Opera (opposite Samuel Ramey) and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) with Opera Orlando. She also performed Antonia (Les Contes d’Hoffman) and Fiordiligi (Cosí fan tutte) with Tri-Cities Opera where she received much praise for her “Spinning top ... impressive chest register” and “pliable, rich soprano” (Broome Arts Mirror). She also sang the roles of Susannah (Carlisle Floyd's Susannah), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), and Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Magnolia Hawks (Showboat) with Opera Naples. She sang Pamina in a Magic Flute tour throughout Costa Rica and Mexico.
Before her fach change to spinto repertoire, Julia sang several productions of Rigoletto (Gilda), La traviata, and Adina (L'elisir d'amore). Other performances from this time include Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro),, Berenice in Rossini's L'occasione fa il ladro.
Concert performances include a Puccini Gala with Rhode Island Philharmonic, a Rosa Ponselle tribute with Lyric Opera Baltimore at Ponselle's estate in Maryland- Villa Pace, works of Verdi and Leoncavallo with Annapolis Opera, excerpts from Verdi operas with Gulfshore Opera under the baton of Maestro Paul Nadler, and recitals based on the repertoire of Jenny Lind and Marcella Sembrich, which were featured at the Bijou Theatre in Connecticut, and The Sembrich Museum, respectively.
Ms. Radosz has garnered numerous awards, including: Winner of the Jenny Lind Competition, Connecticut Concert Opera Competition, Marcella Kochanska Sembrich Vocal Competition, and the 5 Towns Music and Arts Foundation Competition, a Grant Winner from The CareerBridges Foundation, 2nd Place in the Kosciuszko Foundation's Marcella Sembrich Vocal Competition, 2nd Place in the National Federation of Music Club's Biennial Young Artist Awards, 3rd place in New Jersey State Opera's Alfredo Siligpigni Competition, the Bel Canto Award at the Orpheus Competition, finalist in the Liederkranz Competition Opera Division, and a guild encouragement recipient at the Palm Beach Opera Competition.
Ferdinand von Bothmer
Master Teacher
Co-Founder
Ferdinand Bothmer was born in Munich. While a student of German philology and philosophy in Munich and later in Vienna, he worked both as assistant director and as extra at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich and at festival productions in Bregenz and Salzburg. In 1992 he enrolled in music theatre direction at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, receiving his Master of Arts there in 1997. In addition he studied voice from 1995 to 1999 and attended complementary studies in Lied and Oratorio with Charles Spencer in 1997 - 2002, but did not complete either course of studies, choosing instead to pursue professional engagements. Following this, Ferdinand Bothmer began private vocal studies with Nicolai Gedda, Michael Pabst, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Vincenzo Bello. From 1999 to 2007 the artist was an ensemble member of the Wiener Volksoper, appearing in roles such as Szymon (Der Bettelstudent), Camille (Die Lustige Witwe), Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Tito (La Clemenza di Tito).
Since then, Ferdinand has performed with such theaters as La Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper, Zurich Opera, Washington National Opera, Salzburg Festival, Rossini Festival in Pesaro, Tokyo Opera, Theatre de la Monnaie, the National Theater in Bratislava, the National Theater in Vilnius, Latvian National Opera, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Staatsoper Hamburg, Tiroler Festspiele, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Wiener Volksoper, and the theaters in Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Koeln, Mainz, and Leipzig… plus many more.
Having begun his career singing almost all the major Mozart and Rossini tenor roles, Ferdinand then transitioned to roles such as Lohengrin, Parsifal, Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer, Max in Der Freischütz, Pollione in Norma, Walther in die Meistersinger, Manrico in il Trovatore, Alfredo in la Traviata, Arnold in Guglielmo Tell, Rossini’s Otello, Berlioz' Benvenuto Cellini, and Paul in Korngold’s Die tote Stadt just to name a few.
A champion of lesser known works, Ferdniand has sung the roles such as Archangel Michael in Walter Braunfels' Jeanne d'Arc, and as Pirro and Pilade in Rossini’s Ermione, Renaud in Gluck's Armide Hagenbach in Catalani’s La Wally, Zamoro in Verdi’s Alzira, Léopold in La Juive, Gunther in Wagner’s Die Feen, and Harald, the leading tenor role in Dvořák's early opera Alfred.
Ferdinand can be heard on Naxos Records released as part of its Schubert Lied Edition in a solo album accompanied by Ulrich Eisenlohr. Ferdinand is also responsible for the publication of a new complete edition of Liszt lieder, for which he has also recorded a CD with pianist Charles Spencer. His work on this project includes research for a new critical sheet music edition and the redaction of an accompanying book.
Ferdinand has been teaching privately since 2008. Since 2015 has worked as a vocal teacher for the academic section of the Tiroler Festspiele, where he also worked as a casting consultant until august 2019. He currently has a professorship for Classical Singing at the Gustav Mahler Privatuniversität Klagenfurt.
Special Guest:
Jennifer Larmore, Mezzo-Soprano/Master Teacher
Jennifer Larmore is an American mezzo-soprano, a Grammy winner with over 100 recordings to her name, a Chevalier of the French government, Richard Tucker winner, Hall of Famer, 2 time Grammy Award Winner and author!
She began her career at Opera de Nice in 1986 with Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito and went on to sing at virtually every major opera house in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Paris Opera, Tokyo, Berlin Deutsche Oper, and London Covent Garden.
Jennifer’s repertoire has expanded to include roles such as "Marie" in Berg's masterpiece Wozzeck, (Grand Théâtre de Genève). Berg is now a specialty of Miss Larmore, with her having sung “Countess Geschwitz” in Berg's Lulu at Covent Garden, Madrid, Paris Opera Bastille, Nederlandse Opera, and at the Rome Opera. She has also become well known for "Kostelnička Buryjovka" in Janacek's Jenůfa which she performed at Berlin Deutsche Oper. She reprised her "Kostelnička" in this same production for the New National Theater in Tokyo. “Lady Macbeth” in Verdi’s opera Macbeth is a role she debuted at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, then in Bologna and Reggio Emilia. Her first “Eboli” was in the French version of Don Carlos at the Caramoor Music Festival in New York, and she sang “Jocasta” in Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex at the Bard Festival. Adding to her growing list of new repertoire, Miss Larmore debuted the role of "Mère Marie" in Les dialogues des carmélites at the Caramoor Festival. She went back to her roots with "Ottavia" in Monteverdi's l'Incoronazione di Poppea at the Theater an der Wien in October 2015 and returned there in December 2016 for her debut in the role of "Elvira" in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Debuts for more new roles came in 2017 with the title role of La Belle Hélène at Hamburg State Opera, and then "Anna 1" in Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins for the Atlanta Opera. In 2018 she debuted the role of "La Dama" in Hindemith's Cardillac for the Maggio Musicale in Firenze, "Fidalma" In Il Matrimonio Segreto for Opera Köln, and "Marcellina" In Le Nozze di Figaro in Tokyo. Engagements in 2019 included concerts in Grenoble, Olten and Magève with OpusFive, "Marcellina" in Paris at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, and she returned to Opera Köln in the title role of a new production in her on-going collaboration with Doucet/Barbe of La Grand Duchesse de Gérolstein. In 2020 she debuted “Herodias” in Salome for the Atlanta Opera before going into lockdown. In 2021, Jennifer sang "Genevieve" in Pelleas et Melisande in Parma. She will reprise her powerful "Herodias" at the New National Theater in Tokyo in May, 2023.
Throughout her career Jennifer Larmore has garnered awards and recognition. In 1994 Jennifer won the prestigious Richard Tucker Award. In 1996 she sang the Olympic Hymn at the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics in Atlanta. In 2002, “Madame” Larmore was awarded the Chevalier des arts et des lettres from the French government in recognition of her contributions to the world of music. In 2010 she was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in her home state of Georgia. Her book "Una Voce" explores the world and psychology of the performer.
Miss Larmore is widely known for teaching and giving master classes and in 2018, she went to New York's Manhattan School of Music, Santiago, Chile, Luxembourg, Atlanta, and to the new Teatro Nuovo at Suny Purchase College, New York. She began the New Year 2019 with master classes for the Atlanta Opera and Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA. In March, 2019 Miss Larmore gave master classes and workshops at the École Normale and for the Philippe Jaroussky Academy in Paris. In 2020 she gave classes at the École Normale, Atlanta Opera, Kennesaw State University, Luxembourg, and on ZOOM for the Kiefersfelden Master Classes and Utah Valley University. In 2022 classes were in Malta, Tirol, Lausanne, Sion, Martina Franca and Valencia! In 2023 she begins the year with a master class at the Eva Lind Akademie in Achenkirch, Austria.
Additional Faculty
Institute Details
A vocal retreat focused on Bel Canto in the birth city of Puccini
Working days of the program are August 17-24. However, the monastery is booked for your accommodation the evening of the 16th and inclusive of the 24th. Please plan to arrive in Lucca on the 16th, and depart Lucca on the 25th. You will be transported to/from the Lucca Train Station or Pisa Airport on August 16 and August 25. Nearest airports include Pisa, Florence, and Bologna, but Milan and Rome may also be used with a slightly longer train ride.
Accommodations are in a single room, with shared bathroom. We can allow spouses/partners to join participants for a room/board rate. For more information, contact us directly. Meals are a gourmet experience in Lucca, with much of the ingredients being grown right on the monastery! We can also accommodate most dietary restrictions.
The program fee covers accommodation, all meals, transportation to and from Lucca Train Station or Pisa Airport, coaching, masterclasses, staff pianists, and facilities. There are no additional charges after you arrive in Lucca.
Total cost of program is €3450 (€3100 with deposit before March 31, 2024) and due in full prior to your arrival in Lucca.
Partial scholarships are available. If you are interested in the program, please apply, and we can determine together if it's a good fit for your goals and ways to make the program accessible.
Application
Please complete the form below and we will be in contact with you from info@luccabelcanto.com in order to set up a call. In this call, we will get to know you, answer your questions, and together you can determine if the program is a good fit for your needs.
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Get to Know Us
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you have. We are available by email at: info@luccabelcanto.com.
You can also contact us Monday-Friday 10:00-17:00 CEST at +1-609-439-7850 or +43 660 689 7844