The Professional Diploma (PED) in Opera, presented in collaboration with Chicago Opera Theater, is a career-focused training program for singers and pianists who demonstrate exceptional career promise. This two-year program provides weekly lessons (voice or piano), vocal coachings, and dramatic coachings with CCPA's acclaimed Voice and Opera faculty. As Young Artists with Chicago Opera Theater, Professional Diploma students participate in outreach and professional-development events, engage with the development of innovative new works, and have the opportunity to perform ensemble, cover, and comprimario roles throughout Chicago Opera Theater's performance season.
Professional Diploma students receive a full-tuition waiver and monthly stipends during the academic year.
Location:
Chicago
Start Term:
Fall
Program Type:
Diploma
The Professional Diploma in Opera nurtures young artists in a rigorous, yet supportive conservatory environment and provides real-world professional experience through its partnership with Chicago Opera Theater.
As COT Young Artists, Professional Diploma students perform in the ensemble, are involved with the development of new works, regularly participate in outreach and professional development activities, and have the opportunity to cover and perform roles.
Shannon McGinnis
, Department Co-Chair, Interdisciplinary Studies, Associate Professor/Director of Opera
Expectations & Requirements
Standards
The Professional Diploma in Opera is a unique opportunity for developing young artists to focus on all areas of their technical, musical, and dramatic growth, while gaining professional experience and career support as Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists.
Diplomatists receive weekly voice or piano lessons, dramatic coachings, and vocal coachings with CCPA Voice and Opera faculty. The scholarship award for the Professional Diploma in Opera grants a full tuition waiver, excluding the Graduate General Fee, Student Activity Fee, and CTA Ventra U-Pass Fee.
More Opportunities
- Weekly lessons and coaching
- Networking with industry professionals
- Participation in the development of new works with COT's Vanguard Initiative
- Mentoring with CCPA and COT leadership
- Artistic and theatrical skills development, including languages, movement, acrobatics, and puppetry
- Professional development and business topics, including tax preparation, donor engagement, finding an agent/manager, crafting a résumé, managing a website management, personal marketing, etc
- Attendance at all Chicago Opera Theater dress rehearsals, as well as select opera-focused events throughout Chicago
Faculty
Admission Info
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN OPERA
General Requirements and Expectations
- Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree.
- Applicants are expected to demonstrate an advanced level of technical and musical ability;
- Pianist-applicants are expected to have a working knowledge of English, Italian, German, and French diction;
- Singer-applicants are expected to have a working knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet and a firm grasp of at least one of standard singing languages, in addition to English;
- Singer-applicants are expected to have experience working with directors and be comfortable on stage;
- CCPA/Roosevelt University Application due date: December 1
- Pre-screen materials due via Acceptd: December 1
- If invited for a live audition, applicants must be available in Chicago on February 3, 2023.
Audition Requirements
Pre-Screening Application and Audition: Due December 1
*All materials must be uploaded to Acceptd. DO NOT mail recordings or documents to CCPA.
Singers
- Recordings of three operatic arias (no art song; no oratorio):
- at least one recording must be a video recording;
- arias must have been recorded within the past 6 months;
- arias must represent a minimum of two languages, one of which must be English;
- at least one aria must be modern or contemporary (composed after 1960).
- Recent headshot;
- Academic and professional résumé;
- Two letters of recommendation, including:
- one letter of recommendation from your current voice teacher, assessing your level of development and career potential;
- one letter of recommendation from another faculty member or career professional, assessing your professionalism, as well as musical and dramatic abilities.
- Personal statement that addresses your interest in CCPA and the joint Professional Diploma and COT Young Artist program.
Pianists
- Recordings made within the past six months, one of which must be a video recording:
- one work for solo piano (sonata movement or equivalent);
- two operatic selections (arias/ensembles and/or scenes) of contrasting periods and styles (one of which must be modern or contemporary), performed with singers;
- Recent headshot;
- Academic and professional résumé;
- Two letters of recommendation, including:
- one letter of recommendation from your current voice teacher, assessing your level of development and career potential;
- one letter of recommendation from another faculty member or career professional, assessing your professionalism, as well as musical and dramatic abilities.
- Personal statement that addresses your interest in CCPA and the joint Professional Diploma and COT Young Artist program.
Live Audition: February 3, 2023
Singers
*A pianist will be provided for live auditions.
Four contrasting operatic arias (no oratorio) in the original language, performed from memory. Selections from the pre-screening audition are permitted.
- At least three languages must be represented; one of these must be in English.
- At least three stylistic periods must be represented; one of these must be modern or contemporary (composed after 1960).
Singers will be asked to present an aria of their choice and should be prepared to sing additional selections from their repertoire list, as requested. Singers may be asked to participate in a working session with members of the audition panel.
Pianists
*All excerpts must be played and sung in the original language.
- One relatively brief work (sonata movement or equivalent) for solo piano
- from Don Giovanni, W.A. Mozart: Opening of Act I, through Don Ottavio/Donna Anna duet, "Fuggi, crudele, fuggi!..."
- from Ariadne auf Naxos, R. Strauss: Composer's Aria ("Sein wir wieder gut"), ending after "die heilige Musik".
- from The Death of Klinghoffer, J. Adams: Act I, scene 1 ("It was just after one fifteen", through 'slightly slower' after "makes intellect an animal");
Pianists will be asked to present their solo selection as well as all of the required audition material. Pianists also may be asked to participate in a working session with members of the audition panel.