Course Description

The International Meistersinger Akademie (IMA) offers emerging artists an exceptional environment of excellence in the study of opera and Lied/Mélodie. Our prestigious staff and guest professors bring their expertise to the vocal and interpretive development of the young professional. The opening opera gala and an open-air concert are planned with the Nuremburg Symphony Orchestra. A Liederabend in Neumarkt will be recorded by the Bavarian Radio/Studio Franken and Craig Terry (Lyric Opera of Chicago) will lead an open-air Cabaret concert. Language coaching in French, Italian and German is considered an important facet.

European agents, promoters, opera directors and festival managers are invited to hold auditions, give seminars and to take part in roundtable discussions with the young artists, thus providing the networking and professional contacts important to the profession.

Through the IMA, many of our participants have found prestigious management, for example with Askonas Holt, Intermusica London, HarrisonParrott, IMG, and Orlob Berlin. Opera companies who have hired our singers, either in Fest-Contracts or as guests, include Glyndebourne, Covent Garden, Frankfurt, Munich, Hannover, Hamburg, Aix-en-Provence, Lille, Leipzig, Dresden, Geneva, Palermo, Basel, Klagenfurt, Zurich, as well as the Metropolitan Opera in New York. There have also been engagements in opera studio programs in Munich,Frankfurt, Dresden, Basel and Zurich. In the realm of concert, there are engagement possibilities for recitals and oratorio/orchestral concerts.

Our Mission

Our goal is to help each singer find the key to his or her own artistry and individual voice. This includes taking the time needed to work the new ideas into the repertoire and into the body.

To facilitate this, we offer extended practice time, both alone, and in rehearsal with a pianist, in our seven practice facilities.

Participants

The offer is for 12 to 15 emerging artists, not older than 30 years on August 12, 2020.

We expect our participants to come completely prepared. All music must be memorized.

Location and Course Dates

The IMA takes place from July 12 - August 11, 2020.

Neumarkt is a very welcoming, picturesque town in the Oberpfalz, and is the ideal partner for the IMA: the concert hall, Reitstadel, is renowned for its acoustics; two other large halls with grand pianos are available, as well as seven practice studios (with pianos) and several teaching rooms without pianos. Neumarkt can be reached from Nuremburg in 30 minutes.

St. Joseph´s monastery lies in a beautiful park 15 minutes from city center. All the participants are in residence in single rooms. Bikes are provided by the city.

Neumarkt is also a town which enjoys festivities. The renowned Volksfest ("peoples' party") is held during the IMA weeks, and has proven to be huge fun, right down to being in the parade on an IMA float, and enjoying the rides and beer-tents at the fairgrounds.

Neumarkt

Audition Dates/Deadlines

October 19/November 16/December 7 in New York at the National Opera Center (Deadline: October 10, 2019)
December 21 in Neumarkt, Germany (Deadline: December 1, 2019)
January 4/5 in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Deadline: December 1, 2019)

Pre-screening videos must be submitted before a live audition. To apply with a DVD/Video Link in lieu of the live audition is also possible. Video applications must be received by December 10, 2019. See the repertoire page. Applications are available via YAPTRACKER.

Financial Terms

Application fee of $45.00 (US)
Full scholarships apply for all lessons, coachings, Italian/German diction classes, and roundtables during the entire course.
Accommodation in single rooms with single baths are organized and paid for by the city of Neumarkt.
Breakfast and dinner are organized and paid for by the IMA.

The artists will organize and pay for their travel expenses. The IMA can, in exceptional cases, provide a stipend towards travel costs.