OPERA NAPLES ANNOUNCES PARTICIPANTS IN LUCIANO PAVAROTTI FOUNDATION OPERA NAPLES ACADEMY AND INTERNATIONAL VOICE COMPETITION

NAPLES, FL (January 6, 2025) – Opera Naples announces the complete roster of students and faculty members for the 2025 Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples Academy as well as the contestants and jury members for the inaugural Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition. 

Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples Academy
In collaboration with the esteemed Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, Opera Naples has designed an Academy which aims to provide exceptional training for aspiring singers eager to refine their craft in the realm of opera. Chosen from a pool of 88 program applicants, eight participants will attend the Academy from January 7 through 19 at the Wang Opera Center. They will immerse themselves in a transformative thirteen-day experience, engaging in rigorous coaching, stage and orchestra rehearsals for Donizetti’s beloved opera Don Pasquale while also participating in masterclasses and insightful lectures led by a distinguished faculty of representatives from the opera world. With a commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent, the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples Academy is tuition-free. Originally founded by Ramón Tebar in collaboration with the legendary soprano Renata Scotto, this Academy is designed for emerging artists who aspire to launch their professional careers or enhance their existing paths, learning from some of the most revered figures in the operatic sphere. Since its inception in 2017, the Academy has welcomed international participants from Asia, North and South America, and Europe. Renowned faculty members, including Sherrill Milnes, Bruce Ford, Verónica Villarroel, Manny Perez and Maria Zouves, have contributed their expertise, enriching the learning experience. A full list of dates, location, students and faculty members is as follows: 

Academy Dates: January 7 - 19, 2025

Performance Dates: January 17 at 7pm and January 19 at 2pm; tickets are $39-$119 and are available at OperaNaples.org 

Location: Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave. Naples, FL, U.S.A. 34112

Students/Roles in Don Pasquale:
Sopranos (“Norina”):
Victoria Ratto
Ethel Trujillo
Yoonji Kim (alternate)
Congcong Wang (cover)

Tenor (“Ernesto”):
Minghao Liu

Baritones (“Malatesta”):
Matthew Cossack
Andres Feliu

Bass-baritone (“Don Pasquale”):
Burak Bilgili

Faculty:
Ramón Tebar, Opera Naples Artistic and Music Director
Nicoletta Pavarotti, President of Luciano Pavarotti Foundation
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone and Co-Founder of the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs
Maria Zouves, Stage Director, President and Co-Founder of the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs 
John Churchwell, Head of Music of San Francisco Opera 
Carrie-Ann Matheson, Artistic Director of the San Francisco Opera Center, Adler Program and Merola Opera Program
Bruce Ford, Tenor
Louis Otey, Baritone
Yelena Kurdina, Metropolitan Opera pianist, prompter and assistant conductor
Burak Bilgili, Bass-baritone
Nicola Colabianchi, Artistic Director of Teatro Lirico di Cagliari (Italy)

Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition 
The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition fosters the career development of promising young opera singers worldwide by providing a platform to be heard by a panel of opera world professionals and compete for artistic contracts that will significantly further their careers. In partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University’s Bower School of Music and the Arts, the competition occurs at the university from January 16 through 18. This competition is a revival of the renowned Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, which was founded in 1981 and, at its height, had 1,500 applicants from over 25 countries. Each winner will receive a minimum of $10,000 in contracts to perform roles and/or concerts with Opera Naples as well as other companies such as Boca Festival of the Arts and Teatro Pavarotti Freni Modena Italia, within the next two seasons of the award. The winners of the competition will also star in the opening night performance of the Opera Naples 2025 Festival Under the Stars on February 27, 2025 as well as a performance in the Boca Festival of the Arts on March 1, 2025. Out of a pool of 401 applicants, 20 contestants have been carefully selected for the competition. A full list of dates, location, contestants and jury members is as follows:

Competition Dates: January 16-18, 2025

Competition Final Round (open to the public): January 18 at 2pm; $35 tickets available at OperaNaples.org. 

Location: Florida Gulf Coast University Bower School of Music and the Arts, U. Tobe Recital Hall, 10501 FGCU Blvd. S, Fort Myers, FL, U.S.A. 33965

Contestants:
Sopranos: Hayley Abramowitz, Sarah Bacani, Laura Fernández, Luna Park, Victoria Ratto
Mezzo-sopranos: Simona Genga, Maggie Reneé, Kim Stanish
Tenors: Jordan Costa, William Johnson, Minghao Liu, Luke Norvell
Baritones: Matthew Cossack, Minki Hong, Robert Raso
Basses: Cumhur Görgün, David Kahng, Raul Velazco

Jury:
The jury is presided over by Nicoletta Pavarotti and Ramón Tebar. Additional jury members include international singers, opera directors, casting directors, artistic directors and consultants of renowned opera houses:
Nicoletta Pavarotti, President of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation
Ramón Tebar, Opera Naples Artistic and Music Director
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone and Co-Founder of the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs
Krzysztof Biernacki, Director of Bower School of Music and the Arts, Florida Gulf Coast University
Bruce Ford, Tenor
John Churchwell, Head of Music of San Francisco Opera
Carrie-Ann Matheson, Artistic Director of the San Francisco Opera Center, Adler Program and Merola Opera Program
Maria Todaro, General Director of Florida Grand Opera
Maria Zouves, Stage Director, Executive Director of the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs
Louis Otey, Baritone
Dr. Jeanie Darnell, Head of Vocal Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University School of Music
Manny Perez, MET Lindemann Program Faculty and Director of Voice Studies at Miami Music Festival
Burak Bilgili, Bass-baritone
Nicola Colabianchi, Artistic Director of Teatro Lirico di Cagliari (Italy)

Opera Naples is an artistic powerhouse, dedicated to presenting high-quality opera productions and concerts featuring prominent international, national and regional performers and directors. Opera Naples has presented well-known grand operas such as La bohème, Carmen, Faust, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, Tosca and more. An advocate of community service and education outreach, Opera Naples has introduced opera to more than 64,000 children since its inception through various programs, including in-school programs and performances in Lee and Collier counties, the Resident Artists Program and Summer Youth Program. The company is also committed to nurturing promising young talent through the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples Academy led by a faculty of prominent opera luminaries who offer an immersive program of vocal instruction, lectures and masterclasses. In collaboration with the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, Opera Naples also hosts an International Voice Competition, in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University. The company has earned local, regional and state government support. For more information, visit OperaNaples.org.

Opera Naples, Inc. • 2408 Linwood Avenue • Naples, FL 34112 • 239.963.9050 • OperaNaples.org