Elisabeth Buchner

Ich studiere derzeit Gesangspädagogik am Mozarteum Salzburg, Standort Innsbruck. Ziel meines Studiums war es immer, mein sängerisches Können zu verbessern, um es meinen Schülern weitergeben zu können. Doch seit ich an den Projekten am Tiroler Landeskonservatorium teilnehme, steigt mein Interesse auf der Bühne zu stehen zunehmend. In der Produktion „Le nozze di Figaro“ hab ich mich als Susanna so richtig wohl gefühlt auf der Bühne, da ich voll in die Rolle hineinschlüpfen konnte. Dieses Gefühl möchte ich bei TOP intensivieren und meine schauspielerischen Fähigkeiten und Bühnenpräsenz ausbauen.

Thespina Christulides

Soprano, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Based on my upbringing, a career in opera would seem the most unlikely path for me. I grew up in athletically centered family and school district. No other kids wanted to sing in church choir with me, and I was the only person in my elementary school who did not complain about music class. Even though it was unpopular, these opportunities to sing were the highlights of my week. From the young age of five I was the weirdo who did my own thing, but I did not care because it made me happy. At this young age, however, singing was just a fun hobby for me. While I always “performed” for my family at holiday gatherings by telling stories and bopping around, I was terrified at the thought singing in public without the comfort of a choir. My middle school choir director began to recognize and encourage my potential, and selected me as a soloist in the “all school” concert- I did not even audition! I was a complete nervous wreck just thinking about singing in front of all the parents, faculty and especially, every middle school peer! Once it was said and done, not only did I realize that it was fun to perform for an audience, but for the first time, my peers understood why I had followed my own path. They said that I was meant to sing. This brief, two minute moment in the spotlight changed my life, literally.

Lindsey Dondanville

"Whatever my path may end up being, my ultimate goal is to be an internationally known and beloved opera singer."

My name is Lindsey Dondanville and I have just finished my junior year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign pursuing my Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Once I have graduated from the University of Illinois I plan to move on to graduate school and after that to a reputable young artists program. Whatever my path may end up being, my ultimate goal is to be an internationally known and beloved opera singer.

Michael Feichter

"TOP kommt für mich somit zum richtigen Zeitpunkt. Ich freue mich sehr auf die Zusammenarbeit mit international erfahrenen Coaches in Maurach, die mir dabei helfen werden, meine gesanglichen und darstellerischen Möglichkeiten zu verbessern."

Neben meinem Schlagzeugstudium in Innsbruck belegte ich Gesang ursprünglich als Zweitfach. Anfänglich war mein Repertoire auf Lied und Oratorium beschränkt, es entwickelte sich jedoch allmählich ein großes Interesse für die Oper. Seit der Mitwirkung im Chor bei einigen Opernproduktionen am Tiroler Landestheater und der Verkörperung der Titelrolle in „Le nozze di Figaro“ am Tiroler Landeskonservatorium hat es mich dann voll erwischt ... die Liebe zur Oper ist nun voll entbrannt. Ich bin hungrig nach neuem Repertoire.

Kathy Geary

"As I grow and mature, I find a certain understanding of music that only comes with the perspective of age, from facing the ups and downs of life. The voice is a timeless thing. If just one person is touched if just one person connects to their deeper emotions, then I have fulfilled my role as a performer.

Kathy Geary is a soprano who is now moving into the Verdi repertoire. She has recently discovered a new depth and power to her voice, and wishes to come to TOP to learn the repertoire that she is finally able to sing.

Kevin Hanek

Kevin Hanek is a young Wagnerian tenor. After 15 years of dreaming about singing while working as an award-winning book designer, he has returned to the stage with a mature, Wagnerian sound. He is devoting all his time to singing now. He has an agent and is actively looking for main stage roles. Having moved directly from singing in free showcases in New York City to performing in Aida, Kevin missed the seasoning that one gets from performing on the regional circuit. He wants to come to TOP this summer to polish his audition repertoire and to be coached by our experienced faculty.

Sara Bigna Janett

Soprano, Innsbruck

Ich wünsche mir, dass ich einmal die Möglichkeit haben werde, das Wunder der Oper an die nächsten Generationen weitergeben zu können.

Sara Bigna nimmt seit sie sechs Jahre alt ist Gesangsunterricht. Mit sechzehn war sie Preisträgerin beim Finale des schweizerischen Jugendmusikwettbewerbes und zwei Jahre später gewann sie den ersten Preis am Wettbewerb des Kammermusikwettbewerbes Allegro Vivo bei Wien. Sie studiert seit zwei Jahren am Tiroler Landeskonservatorium bei Sébastien Soules.

Johanna Kapelari

Soprano, Innsbruck

Ich bin 19 Jahre alt und seit 4 Jahren studiere ich am Tiroler Landeskonservatorium Gesang. Seit meiner Kindheit brennt die Leidenschaft zu singen in mir. Im Kinderchor durfte ich die Soli singen, und seit diesen Momenten wusste ich, dass das Singen mich mein ganzes Leben begleiten wird, ob im stillen Kämmerchen oder auf einer Bühne, es ist ein Teil von mir. An einer Oper teil zu haben ist mein größter Traum, ich wünsche mir einem Charakter ein Gesicht und eine Stimme zu geben, das es dem Zuhörer ermöglicht die Figur in Ihrer Tiefgründigkeit kennen zu lernen.Um diesen Charakteren eine hinreichende Gestalt zu verleihen muss ich mich selbst, mein Können und mein Wissen immer weiterentwickeln und verbessern. Diesen Weg voller neuer Erfahrungen, ist es wert Ihn bis zum Ende zu gehen. Durch Musik lernt der Mensch seine Emotionen in völlig neuen Facetten kennen, und darüber sich selbst. Wenn es mir gelingt mit meiner Darbringung von Kunst auch nur in einem Menschen Emotionen zu wecken so werde ich die Bühne zufrieden verlassen. Ich freue mich sehr auf TOP weil ich glaube, dass man nie auslernt und es immer eine Möglichkeit gibt seine Fähigkeiten zu verbessern. TOP ist so eine nicht zu missende Möglichkeit meinem Traum ein Stück näher zu kommen.

Juliana Kartsimas

Hallo! My name is Juliana Kartsimas, and I am a soprano from the United States. This fall, I will be a junior at Michigan State University, and I absolutely love it there. It is such a blessing to wake up every morning and be able to study something that brings me much joy. Music has been a very important part of my life since I was young, and I can’t imagine having the opportunities that I have had without the overwhelming power of music. Being a musician has opened many doors for me to learn about other cultures, time periods, languages, and especially about myself. I am continuously humbled by music’s critical role in the human connection.

Tara Sue Metcalf

Tara Metcalf is serious about an opera career. Each summer for the past four years she has attended a prestigious opera training program, learning acting, voice, musical style. Last year she polished her Italian by studying in Florence, Italy. Now she wants to add German to her extensive skills, and has spent two weeks studying the language in Munich. We are excited to have such a talented, determined artist with us!

Erika Mitchell

"Ultimately, my dream is to sing opera and to evoke that same level of emotion from an audience. I want to make them feel what my character is feeling, what I am feeling as a performer. I love music, opera, and singing, and turning my passion into a career would be a dream come true for me."

My name is Erika Mitchell, and I am a recent graduate of the Vocal Performance program at Syracuse University in New York. I will be pursuing a Masters degree in Opera beginning in September at the Longy School of Music, and I hope to develop a career singing opera internationally in the future.

Aaron Pagniano

Baritone, Missoula, MT

I am so excited to be attending TOP this summer. It is proof that second chances ARE possible. This is a place where careers are launched and dreams fulfilled.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of the Tyrolean Opera Program.

Seventeen years ago TOP faculty member Carol Kirkpatrick was my first voice teacher in Sedona, AZ.  As a high school graduation gift she gave me the score to Le Nozze di Figaro, which I still use to this day.  I was on my way to an opera career, studying at Westminster Choir College when a terrible auto accident forced me to give up my dream and work for my mother's pizza business.

Elizabeth Randel

Elizabeth Randel is a talented coloratura soprano who graduated from Peabody Conservatory a couple of years ago, and has been working as a singer and auditioning since. Now she needs to concentrate on her art and improve her skills so that she can truly move to a professional level.

Flora Rundel

"Ich will Erfahrung sammeln, meine Fähigkeiten in allen Bereichen verbessern, neues Repertoire kennenlernen, Bühnentricks und Bühnenhandwerk lernen um dem näher zu kommen, später auf der Opernbühne zu stehen und mir auch klarer zu werden über meine Zukunftspläne."

Mein Name ist Flora Rundel, ich studiere Bachelor Gesang am Landeskonservatorium in Feldkirch. Ich freue mich sehr auf den Kurs und darauf, viele neue interessante Leute kennen zu lernen.

Zoe Scaljon

Zoe Scaljon is a talented coloratura soprano who studies in Los Angeles. She has dazzled audiences there and in her native San Antonio, Texas. So much so, that her supporters have sponsored her entire tuition at TOP. One of her fans wrote: “I was so impressed by Zoe’s concert and how much she has grown in the past year. She has a brilliant future!”

Theresa Smith

"I find that people frequently ask me how I came to pursue Classical singing but to some degree it found me: it has always been inside of me. I feel blessed to study something I love and cannot imagine not having singing and music in my life."

According to my parents, from the time I was speaking, I was singing. At church, other parishioners would turn around to see who was singing so loudly, only to find a three-year old girl belting her heart out. Twenty years later, not much has changed: I still sing loud and proud, sharing the passion of the music that lives inside of me.

David Sytkowski

"Playing for singers is about listening to the essential communication of a singer’s breath, of the words. It is about setting the scene, recreating a full orchestra with just hands and feet... I have gained so much insight from singers that I want to be able to give to them my absolute musical best in return."

This next step in my musical career leads me back to where it began when I was six—The Austrian Alps. One of my first musical memories is hearing the Sound of Music album and being absolutely enthralled with Julie Andrews’ clear and energetic voice singing “I Have Confidence.” My sister and I watched the film constantly and knew it by heart; singing it became our way of passing time while doing the dishes. I started piano at seven, after years of begging for my parents to buy one.

Sara Jessica Tanzer

Sara Jessica Tanzer studies at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Ohio native is also a choreographer, and was the co-director of the CMU Sophomore Musical Revue. She is just beginning to come into her own as a singer, and is coming to TOP to develop and refine her skills.

Simone Waldhart

"Until I entered the Tiroler Landeskonservatorium,  singing was just a hobby for me. I sang when I was sad and wanted to cheer myself up. It became a passion through which I could express my emotions. I have now finished school and asked myself whether I can make a career as a singer. In spite of the difficulties my dream is to become the best singer I can."