Program Description

The Opera Workshop at Oregon State University is a performance ensemble and training program devoted to preparing outstanding opera and music theatre artists for professional careers on the stage. Through the production of operas and musicals, a deep focus on dramatic training, and myriad performance opportunities, the OSU Opera Workshop promotes a creative, student-centered atmosphere where students are able to cultivate their craft in a safe environment, supported by encouraging faculty and peers.

Covid-19 Adaptations

During this difficult time of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Opera Workshop continues to create important and inspiring art. As our rehearsals have been moved to a temporary remote model, OSU’s opera students will continue to work on their dramatic craft, polish their voices, and learn important repertoire that will serve them in their artistic careers. Our fall term production, the first annual OSU Opera Gala, will showcase these students in a digitally distributed showcase of traditional and contemporary opera arias.

Opera

The opera workshop perform full productions and scenes showcases from the major operatic tradition as well as important contemporary works. Most operas are performed in original languages. Students enjoy in-depth acting and musical training as they work towards the production of large-scale operas and showcases of scenes from across the operatic spectrum.

The Overture Series

The Overture Series community outreach initiative was founded in 2018 and presents a triannual lecture performance at a local Corvallis food or drink establishment. This offers the community a chance to experience opera and includes informative lecture about our upcoming productions in an informal and casual format. The series also affords opera workshop participants additional public performing opportunities each term. 

Musical Theatre

The OSU Opera Workshop stages a biennial collaboration with the OSU Theatre Arts program on a major musical theatre work. This gives our singers the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment as they experience comprehensive training in musical theatre performance skills.

Fall Opera Gala

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 OSU Opera Gala will be distributed digitally. In the future, it will be a formal evening performance of opera aria performances that will happen every fall term. This is another opportunity for our singers to show off their vocal and dramatic craft on stage. A wide range of operatic repertoire is selected from multiple musical periods and languages.

Acting for Singers

Each spring term, in lieu of mounting a full opera production, the opera workshop offers Acting for Singers, an intensive course covering basic acting principles, the Stanislavskian system, actioning, character research, movement, audition and industry prep, working with the musical score to clarify musical and dramatic beats and more.