FAU Opera Theatre and Vocal Performance

05/28/2026

FAU Opera Theatre is proud to welcome internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Dilan Şaka for a special FAU Opera in Italy masterclass tomorrow in La Spezia, Italy.

As part of our 2026 study abroad program, FAU voice students will have the opportunity to work with Dilan Şaka on opera performance, vocal artistry, language, style, and professional preparation.

This guest artist masterclass reflects the mission of FAU Opera Theatre and Florida Atlantic University to connect students with world-class artists, international training opportunities, and meaningful cultural exchange.

05/07/2026

We are delighted to welcome Prof. Chantal Balestri to FAU Opera in Italy 2026 as Artist in Residence and Program Assistant.

Prof. Balestri is a pianist and professor of piano at the Conservatorio Alessandro Scarlatti in Palermo. She will work closely with our students throughout the program through coachings, rehearsals, and performances.

In addition to her work as a pianist and educator, Prof. Balestri brings meaningful experience in international music education through her work with the Lunigiana International Music Festival, a project connected to young artists, performance, cultural exchange, and the musical life of Lunigiana.

She will perform with us in La Spezia, Vernazza, and Florence, and will also join us for an additional concert in Genova.

FAU Opera in Italy is built around music, mentorship, international study, and meaningful artistic collaboration. We are grateful that our students will have the opportunity to learn from and work with Prof. Balestri in Italy.

Benvenuta, Prof. Balestri!

03/23/2026

New Dates Announced!
Florida Atlantic Opera Theatre’s spring production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel has been rescheduled.

Catch this fully staged production at the University Theatre on:

Friday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Featuring student singers in an immersive evening of vocal performance and stagecraft under the direction of Mitchell Hutchings, DMA.

Tickets are $10
fauevents.com
561-297-6124

We hope you will join us for this special production.

03/20/2026

Important Update from Florida Atlantic Opera Theatre

Due to unforeseen technical issues in the University Theatre, we must postpone our spring production to a later date this semester.

This decision was not made lightly, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to ensure the best possible experience for our audience and performers. More information will be shared soon.

03/05/2026

Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. An immersive evening of vocal performance and stagecraft featuring student singers in a fully staged presentation, under the direction of Mitchell Hutchings, DMA.

7 PM Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21
University Theatre
fauevents.com
561-297-6124

01/07/2026

FAU Opera in Italy
Study Abroad Training Program
May 18 – June 18, 2026
ITALIAN RIVIERA – LA SPEZIA

✨ New for 2026
Beginning Italian Language Course
Strengthen your artistry with real-world language immersion

🌞 A Day in the Program

☕ Morning – Drink a real cappuccino, and then step into the Conservatorio Giacomo Puccini for a master class with U.S. or European guest faculty. All guest master classes are recorded in 4K video with high-quality sound.

🍕 Afternoon – Enjoy a slice of pizza and then attend your Italian language course, taught by a native speaker.

🍝 Evening – Gather with fellow students, then head to Le Cinque Terre to enjoy an unforgettable meal with the Mediterranean as your backdrop. And then maybe gelato 🍦. Perché no?

Group travel to Florence, Verona (with tickets to the Arena 🏟), and Venice.

Throughout – Perform in multiple concerts across the region, each also recorded in 4K, building content for your portfolio while making memories.

Do you know who can join?
✅ Students from any institution are welcome
✅ Transferable course credit is awarded by Florida Atlantic University
✅ Open to undergraduate and graduate students

⚡ One month. Music. Culture. Language. Food. Italy.
Go beyond studying abroad—create performances, memories, and professional content you’ll carry with you for years.

operainitaly.org
Information subject to change.

Spend a month with FAU Opera Theatre faculty in a captivating port city along the Italian Riviera, refining your musical skills or deepening your music appreciation. This faculty-led education abroad program is open to all students and is perfect for voice students or non-music majors seeking genera...

12/15/2025

Florida Atlantic University invites applications from singers enrolled at any university or college for Opera in Italy™, an accredited, university-sponsored summer study-abroad program held along the Italian Riviera in collaboration with the Conservatorio Giacomo Puccini - La Spezia (https://conssp.it/).

This immersive, month-long experience offers an extraordinary opportunity for voice students and music lovers to study, perform, and explore Italian culture firsthand, all while earning transferable college credit, including credit in beginning Italian language. Participants also receive an official Certificate of Participation from Florida Atlantic University and the Giacomo Puccini Conservatory.

Program Highlights
• Morning master classes and afternoon Italian language courses (all transferable college credit)
• Recorded concerts in 4K throughout the Ligurian and Tuscan regions
• Excursions to Florence, Verona, Venice, and Cinque Terre
• Guest master classes with acclaimed European and American artists

Past Guest Clinicians Include
Donald George, Michela Lombardi, Ray Chenez, Helen Tintes, Ana Seixas, Harold Meers, Sandra DeAthos, Kim Josephson, Marina Melaranci, Dilan Şaka, Pedro André Arroyo Ojeda, Clay Hilley, Sara Duchovnay, Martha Eason, Karen Roethlisberger Verm, and Craig Verm.

Program Dates: May 18 – June 18, 2026

Application Deadline: February 2, 2026

For complete program details and the online application, visit operainitaly.org.

Questions may be directed to:
Dr. Mitchell Hutchings
Faculty Leader, Opera in Italy
mhutch

12/09/2025

operainitaly.org

11/24/2025

SINGING IN PARADISE
A sunrise like this is just another morning at Florida Atlantic University. With the ocean less than two miles from campus and creativity in the air, FAU has become one of the most inspiring places to study opera and performance.

Here at FAU Opera Theatre, our students train in a program that values artistry, curiosity, and real world preparation. Singers perform full roles, collaborate with Palm Beach Opera, audition for musical theatre productions on campus, hold well paid church and synagogue positions, and study opera and language in Italy each summer at the Puccini Conservatory .

FAU offers degrees for every kind of singer.
Undergraduate programs in Music (BA), Commercial Music, Music Education, and Voice Performance. A redesigned Master of Music in Voice Performance on the horizon. And for those interested in interdisciplinary artistic research, the Ph.D. in Comparative Studies with a strong Design, Aesthetics and the Arts track that could include musicology, theatrology, and multimedia performance studies.

Our voice faculty is committed to student growth, including Dr. Mitchell Hutchings (), Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Opera, whose students perform internationally, enter top graduate programs, and thrive across opera, musical theatre, commercial music, and sacred music.

If you want a place where you can grow, explore, build your technique, and perform at a high level while surrounded by beauty every single day, FAU might be your home.

Who is ready to join us
Link in bio for prospective students.