The Vincerò Academy Journey: Don Giovanni Edition
In this second edition of The Vincerò Academy Journey we interview Founder & Artistic Director Abdiel Vázquez, faculty member and international opera star Isabel Leonard and the winners of the #360ofOpera Scholarships, who participated in the Don Giovanni session of the academy.
Vincerò Academy is the ultimate online mentorship platform connecting young singers from all over the world with the greatest opera stars of our time. Founded by maestro Abdiel Vázquez, Vincerò is the product of long hours of meditation and reflection on the future of the arts and music education at the highest level in a post-Covid world. Vincerò’s carefully curated role-study programs provides students across the globe an elite education online with the world’s most admired opera figures.
Don Giovanni was the second session of the first season of Vincerò Academy. How was it switching gears from Bizet to Mozart, and now Verdi for the third and final session? Any sneak peeks you can share at what will happen next season programming, faculty and logistics wise?
Abdiel Vázquez: Our inaugural season has been very exciting. Each group has been completely different, just as the repertoire is, but absolutely enriching and talented, featuring almost 60 singers from 19 different countries!
It's been quite thrilling to watch everyone grow as artists while also forming professional connections and lasting friendships. We've yet to announce the next season, but I can tell you this much: we will definitely do another Mozart/Da Ponte, we will include something from the bel canto repertoire, and most likely delve into our first Puccini! Ailyn, David, and I are already working to put together an incredible faculty of artists associated with these operas, and of course most of these singers are already back at it in the world's best stages after a year of hiatus.
We have learned so much with regards to building our curriculum, dealing with everyone's different schedules and time zones, and how to best serve our students, that I can't wait to announce our second season and start receiving applications. Stay tuned!
You have such extensive experience performing these Mozart roles in worldwide stages. What do you enjoy most when passing on your personal knowledge of these particular roles to the academy participants?
Isabel Leonard: I enjoy all forms of teaching, coaching, collaborating... it is really exciting to work with other singers and watch the work they do on roles come to life. It’s always a personal journey and hopefully lots of fun along the way! Seeing another performer find “aha!” moments is probably one of the more rewarding things out there!
360° of Opera Scholarship Winners, what has been the biggest lesson you have learned at Vincerò Academy and how do you plan to build on that moving forward?
JANNIK HORLITZ:
The biggest lesson I have learned at Vincerò Academy is that Mozart not only was way ahead of his time thematically but that singers nowadays should disregard any preconceptions they might have about how to sing Mozart's music.
After everything I have learned over the last few months, I now look at the repertoire through different eyes. I am excited to dive into other Mozart roles moving forward. His operatic works have not lost any of their relevancy, and I now understand that I do not have to hold back vocally when staying within the framework of all musical markings. A performance of one of Mozart's masterpieces can still be just as exciting to watch and listen to as it has always been.
ADDIEROSE FORSTMAN:
One of the most important lessons for me has been how incredibly enriching it is to be part of a whole group of singers discovering the many layers of the same character. Now, as I study new roles, I want to make a point not just of working on a given role with excellent coaches such as those we had the chance to work with at Vincerò, but also of discussing the role with peers who may be learning the same role.
REBECCA DE ALMEIDA
Some of the biggest lessons I have learned at Vincerò Academy? Fasten your seatbelts because I have a few...
I’ve come to the realization that done is better than perfect, and that the refinement can be done in the journey!
I’ve been reminded - in a hands-on manner - that the little building blocks of everyday work, practice and setting achievable goals are the most important aspect of our journey as artists. Which is easier said than done - I know! - but when you have 3 months to work on an Opera in a thorough manner under the guidance of great leaders, it’s easier to build and nurture those habits.
And last but not least, I’ve learned that having a community of supportive artists and incredible world renowned musicians such as Vincerò, is an incredibly nurturing and a safe place to grow - and to be vulnerable! I cherish every memory! I believe we all grow more and in a healthier way by lifting each other up! And Vincerò has been all that and so much more. Moving forward I am committed to keeping up with all the above, which depend solely on me, and I pray to God that I will be blessed with the opportunities I dream of, but that’s up to Him and what He knows to be best for me.
Thank you 360° of Opera for making Vincerò possible for me! It was a gift for a lifetime. I feel this was a turning point in my career as a singer and I’m very excited and confident in what comes next - and believe me, I have been more in a roller coaster of confidence and skepticism than anything else in the past, I’m only human! So, thank you thank you thank you!!!
KIRSTEN LARSEN
The biggest lesson that I have learned at Vincerò Academy has been that I am capable of more than I thought when I am confident. Working with such amazing industry professionals who encouraged me and helped me to become aware of habits has completely transformed me as a singer. I used to doubt my musical choices out of a fear of being ‘too much’, but now I know that as long as they are informed and well thought out, there is no problem with trying things out. Oftentimes, I think as young singers we wait for people to tell us what to do. Maestro Anthony Manoli said it so well in a masterclass — this is the difference between conservatory singing and professional singing. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and take a chance.
I think that moving forward, I will be bold. I will do the preparation work SO thoroughly that no one (including myself) doubts my musical choices. I will be able to defend them and give a convincing performance. I’m so grateful to 360° of Opera and Vincerò for teaching me how to delve into a score efficiently, but also to believe in myself again as an artist.
SAMANTHA CHUHAN WU
UNITY.
Vincero Academy absolutely brought me countless precious and plentiful experiences, memories, as well as noticeable artistic transmutation in pasts months.
When we have been out of touch during pandemic, when there's a cloud hanging over our future career, Vincerò Academy appears as a ray of sunshine in our young musicians' lives, accompanied by its meticulous guidance and professional education, brings us the nutrition and courage of musical path so we can keep rooting in the rich soil to grow sturdily and bloom when the opportunity comes to knock our door.
The biggest lesson I've ever learned in Vincero Academy is definitely : 'Unity'.
◈ Unity of Academy
I remember I was pretty amazed by Academy when I found it out first time. First of all, this innovative platform has blended most important materials in the Role Study Program : language coaching, music coaching, group class, masterclass, seminars... This academy maintained world renowned opera stars as faculty, to provide remarkable elite education for young opera singers, which is incredibly impressive.
Moreover, unprecedentedly, the founder and the excellent team established an education platform without limits of location and time, combined with worldwide great masters, finally became a dream team in every young opera students' mind.
Every single staff member, artistic board and star faculty, coordinate their efforts to build such a glorious environment, based with their empathy of struggles of young musician, with their matchless passion for opera and devotion for descendant, is exactly what deeply attracted me and made me fervently want to join this academy.
◈ Unity of Knowledge
During the group classes in previous months, we didn't only enrich our singing skills and technique, apply our knowledge to virtual performance by turns but also made deep conversations in different angles of important themes with the meticulous guidance of Director Abdiel Vázquez : historical background, culture and community phenomenon, characterization ; while trainees show their researches and opinions in procession of discussion, they often inspire deeper exploration wants of character of each other, eventually increase our comprehension of character, then interpret characters with our own personal characteristics and proper direction in same time.
◈ Unity of Support
The most stunning part of the young opera singers I've met at Vincerò Academy wasn't their fabulous talents but wonderful demeanor with respect, cherish and encourage, the love and support I received from my classmates and faculty became my power of moving forward in this specific situation of epidemic.
Even though I was forced to stay home to study for almost half year, I still get consolations and felt no longer lonely with positive vibes from them, in addition, I realized when we are keeping this positive attitude for living, we will be able to meet and magnetize wonderful companions with beautiful spirit.
◈ Future...
This lesson I've learned from Vincerò Academy changed my vision of opera, as my vocation. I used to think competition exists in the world of opera as it does in every trade. However, I recognize that it does exist but as virtuous competition, which could also called Unity in the end : we compete with each other to make progress together, for finally unite on the stage to perform and product amazing pieces together, become a part of the world of opera.
Lastly, I'd like to quote few sentences from the director Abdiel Vázquez
No matter if the location you're singing is beautiful and magnificent or not;
No matter if the piece you're singing requires most brilliant techniques or not;
No matter if the role you're singing is the main role or second role in opera;
The most important thing is the present, is the fact that your performance is bringing positive influences and beautiful music to the audiences listening to you.
So whenever you are, wherever you are, whatever you are singing, don't forget you are doing something most important : spreading more love, culture and music to people !
Thank you again, Vincero Academy! For establishing such an amazing education platform.
Thank you again, 360° of Opera! For sending big support in both mentally and essentially.
We thank Abdiel, Isabel and our scholarship winners for their beautiful answers to our questions! We hope our readers found this interview as inspiring as we did! Up next in this series, you will be hearing from the La Traviata session scholarship winners. Stay tuned to the new Vincerò Academy season announcement and visit https://vinceroacademy.com/ for more information.