Programs for singers

Five-Week Intensive Training

Opera & Musical Theatre

May 18th – June 21st, 2026

May 25th – June 28th, 2026

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN on YAP Tracker!

Designed for North American singers, who are of advanced standing with considerable previous voice training, this five-week intensive program is a must for those who wish to focus on further developing technique while simultaneously working on their performance skills. This comprehensive program provides instruction in Creative Process (focused on developing imagination and improvisation skills), Acting for Stage and Screen, Voice-Over, Movement, Clown, Speech, and Text and Vocal Interpretation taught by distinguished faculty who are experts in their field. Our guest teachers, who are internationally recognized artists, give mini-master classes, public forum masterclasses, private voice lessons and professional development seminars.

In addition to classes, private coaching and lessons, this program provides artists with the opportunity to learn and perform a complete role in a fully produced opera and/or musical theatre production. The Intensive Program mirrors a professional experience in that singers are expected to prepare their role(s) prior to arriving. Music and staging rehearsals begin on the second day of the program.

Opera Apprentice Program

Audition Requirements:

Two contrasting arias:

  • One Mozart Aria in Italian (An aria from Così fan Tutte is appropriate)
  • One contrasting song or aria in your choice of language. (can be a Musical Theatre selection)
  • One monologue or poem, or text of an English aria as a dramatic selection.
Classic Music Theatre Program

Audition Requirements:

One song from each of the following eras:

  • One music theatre song from The Golden Age (1943-1965) (Composers such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Bock and Harnick, etc.)
  • One other contrasting song selection:
    • Classical art song (any language)
    • Music Theatre (any era) 
    • Gilbert & Sullivan Selection
    • Folk song
  • One 2-minute monologue or poem (Classic or contemporary)
Application Deadlines

Video Submission deadline:

November 20th, 2025

Tuition

Please see the Tuition page for additional information regarding Tuition, Fees and Accommodations.

Reminder – If you wish to apply for a bursary or a scholarship, the application MUST be included with your audition package.

27th Annual Vocal Arts Festival Repretoire
  • Canuck Così – Mozart’s Così fan Tutte reimagined
  • Brigadoon – Lerner & Lowe
More About Our Vocal Pedagogues

INSTRUCTORS:

Ben Butterfield

Tracy Dahl

Frédérik Robert

Michelle Todd

This program changed the way I view myself as an artist.

I think the teachers and classes are put in place to challenge and force oneself to look at how they are creating.

More About Our 2026 Faculty

Nikki Hulowski (Acting for Stage & Film)

Lora Brovold (Voice Over)

Christine Lesiak (Clown)

Courtney Arsenault (Movement)

Doug Mertz (Speech)

Ben Smith (Director)

Ryan Sigurdson (Music Director)

Gordon Gerrard

Robert Herriot

NUOVA is an intensive training program with some of Canada's best coaches and teachers.

While singers are working towards a production, the training is woven in to daily schedules in such a way where you are constantly extrapolating what you learn in classes to the staging and rehearsal process.