UMD Opera Program

The Opera Program at University of Minnesota Duluth is growing and quickly becoming an important cultural jewel of the Northland. Under the direction of our Opera Program Director, Dr. Regina Zona, we are excited about the overall vision to make UMD one of the premier institutions in the US to study and perform opera.

We offer both graduate and undergraduate degrees in Vocal Performance (Bachelor of Music and Master of Music) however anyone who wants to perform in the opera program is welcome. The Opera Studio consists of undergraduate and graduate vocal performance majors as well as music education, musical theatre and Bachelor of Arts students.

We perform two major productions a year. We offer the Opera Scenes Program in Weber Recital Hall which consists of scenes sung in the original languages with English supertitles and piano accompaniment. These scenes are fully staged and fully costumed and while there is an audition process, any singer who wants to participate, has the opportunity to be featured in the program. These programs are very diverse including scenes from Peter Grimes, The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, The Tales of Hoffmann, Der Rosenkavalier, Rigoletto, Hansel and Gretel, Manon, Candide, Don Pasquale, La Clemenza di Tito, and A Little Night Music.

We also offer one mainstage opera in the original language with supertitles and full/chamber orchestra. We have presented critically acclaimed performances of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Verdi's Falstaff and the verismo double bill of Suor Angelica/Pagliacci.

In fall of 2011, our mainstage production will be Cosi fan tutte sung in Italian with English supertitles

The academic program consists of classes in opera and song literature taught by Rachel Inselman as well as performance oriented classes such as Opera Audition Techniques and Opera Role Preparation taught by Dr. Regina Zona.

If you are interested in our program and want to know more, or tour the campus and take a private voice lesson, contact us!