The Wolf Trap Opera Company produces a summer opera festival as part of the program of the Wolf Trap Foundation located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia.
The program was established in 1971, and has developed into one of America's outstanding resident ensemble programs for emerging professional opera singers. Its mission is to discover and encourage emerging talent in the opera field, and it serves young singers of exceptional achievement and potential by giving them training and performance experience with opera productions, concerts and recitals each summer at the Filene Center and The Barns at Wolf Trap.
Productions also feature the work of rising directors, conductors, designers, coaches, stage managers, scenic artists, and technicians.
The Company provides performance and career development opportunities for two tiers of emerging professional singers. Filene Young Artists have typically recently finished academic study and apprentice training and are about to enter the full-time professional stage of their careers. They sing all featured and supporting roles in WTOC productions and are featured in concert and recital.
Studio Artists are either about to finish their undergraduate study or have just begun work on a graduate degree. They sing ensemble and small roles in WTOC productions and present a staged scenes program.
From a pool of over 1,000 singers, typically 400-500 are chosen to audition. From that group 15-20 are selected as Filene Young Artists and 12-16 are selected as Studio Artists.
Over 90% of recent Filene Young Artists are working as professional singers. Among notable alumni are Stephanie Blythe (1995 and 1996), Lawrence Brownlee (2001), Elizabeth Futral (1991), Denyce Graves (1989), Christine Goerke (1995), Nathan Gunn (1994 and 1995), Lisa Hopkins (2007), Michael Maniaci (2002), Simon O'Neill (2003), Dawn Upshaw (1985), Jennifer Larmore (1983), Mark Delavan (1988), Paul Austin Kelly (1987), James Maddalena (1975, 1976, and 1977), Mary Dunleavy (1993 and 1994), Robert Orth (1975, 1976, and 1979), Rockwell Blake (1974 and 1976), Richard Croft (1985), and Anna Christy (2000 and 2001).
In December 2009, the Company's 2007 live recording of John Musto's Volpone was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Opera Recording.
The company typically presents three operas at the Filene Center and/or The Barns at Wolf Trap. In addition, recitals and other performances take place. In 2010 the company presented Zaide, Il Turco in Italia, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. The 2012 season included Igor Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress" at The Barns.
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