Young American Artists Program
Young American Artists Program
The Young American Artists Program (YAAP) was established at Glimmerglass Opera in 1988 as an important component of the company's mission to promote an artistically challenging environment for young American performers. The program provides training and performance experience for talented singers at the beginning of their professional careers.
The Young American Artists Program is distinguished from many other apprentice programs in the variety and quality of the opportunities it provides its members, most of whom hold bachelor's and master's degrees from leading conservatories. Many have already begun professional careers, singing with regional and national companies. For three months, Young Artists are placed in a nurturing environment. They are treated as professionals and provided with compensation, a comfortable place to live, transportation and meals, freeing them to concentrate on their work.
The focus of the Program is on education through performance. Young Artists receive opportunities to perform and cover appropriate roles in all four mainstage productions and to work with world-class directors, designers and conductors.
In addition to rehearsing and performing, Young Artists receive musical coaching, attend classes in diction and acting, and are given instruction in such skills as audition techniques, role preparation and the business aspects of managing a career. Administrators from many of the world's leading opera houses visit Glimmerglass to hear the Young Artists in performance. Many of the Young Artists are offered roles or representation as a result of their appearances at Glimmerglass.
In the course of the summer each Young Artist gives a solo recital at venues in Cooperstown and nearby Cherry Valley, a feature of the Glimmerglass season that has become extremely popular with the community.
The Young Artists also participate in master classes given by distinguished artists. In the past, master classes have been led by Jonathan Miller, John Shirley-Quirk, Theodor Uppman, Phyllis Curtin, Simon Callow, Lorna Haywood, Sherrill Milnes, Evelyn Lear, Thomas Stewart, William Warfield, Vinson Cole and Benita Valente, among others. Guest masterclass teachers for the 2007 Festival Season included Steven Blier, Robin Guarino and Lisa Saffer. In 2009, Glimmerglass Opera collaborated with the New York Festival of Song to present Latin Lovers, a free concert in the Alice Busch Opera Theater featuring members of the Young American Artists Program.
The company is indebted to the Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust, through its donation of Lime Kiln, a residence in Cherry Valley where Young American Artists live and train during their stay at Glimmerglass.
The company is also grateful to The Otesaga and the New York State Historical Association for providing space for the Young American Artists' solo recitals throughout the Festival Season.
