Atеlίεя S

Stuart Graham - Founder/Artistic Director

Atelier S Summer Academy 2008 - Mexico

Palacio Bellas Artes - Mexico City, Mexico (home of Opera Nacional de Mexico).

I am so very proud and excited to announce that Atelier S is going international with its new Summer Vocal Academy in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico.  Mexico is renowned for its cultural richness, both in its indigenous and Spanish colonial history, consistently being a hotbed for emerging artists no matter their medium.  Painters ranging from Velasco to Rivera and Kahlo, cinematic history and prowess that rivals Hollywood and a musical environment that brought us singers like Placido Domingo and many new artists that are currently making a remarkable splash on the international scene.  I have long believed that travel and direct experience of world cultures are a non-negotiable to the soul and development of us musicians.  How can one achieve the insight of the composers and librettists if one has not tasted first-hand the perspective of the cultures and their history of where their works of art were born?  Study of language is such an important portal into that experience.

Atelier S’s 6 week program is exclusive to Singers and Pianists (specializing in collaboration in the vocal recital/operatic repertoire).  In this initial outing, we will be concentrating on two works of Giacomo Puccini, Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi. 

Two major elements of this experience...

From June 30 to July 25, 2008, the participating artists will spend their mornings in an intensive Spanish language course with the objective to be workably fluent in the language by the end of the course.  Together with Ewald Hekking, François Vaucher and UAQ’s department of Anthropology, we have come up with a “living language concept” class where the students will be taken out of the classroom to historical sites in the Querétaro area and learn of the prehispanic and Spanish colonial history of the region and the country of Mexico, while furthering the linguistic course.  An official diploma will be offered by UAQ upon successful completion of the language portion of this summer workshop experience.

The music... Puccini’s Il Tabarro & Gianni Schicchi, in concert

Joining me on the musical faculty of this venture is renowned Canadian pianist, international collaborative artist and pedagogue, Mme. Claudette Denys (L’Opéra de Montréal, Conservatoire de Musique de Québec à Montréal).  Together we will offer daily coachings to the singers and pianists, ensemble preparation and weekly masterclasses in preparation of the performances of Puccini’s Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi which are to be performed with piano accompaniment.

The tour...

Immediately following the 4 week language course and preparation period, we will embark upon a performance tour showcasing our artists in some of the most important cultural venues in Mexico.  Performances will be from July 26 to August 16, 2008, presenting in the cities of Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato and conclude with the final week of performances in Mexico City.

Please read on for the full course description and tour details.

Mme. Denys enjoys a most distinguished career as one of Canada’s most sought after pianists and vocal coaches.  Originally from Québec City, she has been instrumental in the success and careers of many of Canada’s top international lyric artists by serving on faculty of McGill University, the Banff Centre of the Arts, Conservatoire de Musique de Québec de Montréal and l’Opéra de Montréal and its Atelier Lyrique.  She has collaborated with some of the greatest lyrique talents of the 20^th century, including: John Vickers, Louis Quilico, Virginia Zeani and Tatiana Troyanos.  She is also the official pianist for the masterclasses of Pierre Bernac, Raoul Jobin, Heinz Rehfuss, Hans Hotter, Daniel Ferro, Rose Brampton, Martin Isepp, Diana Soviero and Phyllis Curtain and accompanies at the International Singing Competitions of Rio de Janeiro, Budapest, Toulouse, Genève, Sienne, and Montréal.