general:
The Israeli Opera believes that classical music in general and opera in particular have a unique power in their ability to bridge social and cultural gaps and works to maintain an open and egalitarian Israeli society. Throughout the years of the Israeli Opera’s existence, many Israeli opera singers have participated in its productions, but only a few of them came from Arab society. Even in institutions of higher education, there are not many participants in opera singing tracks from Arab society, where there are orchestras and instrumental ensembles that play Western and Arab classical music, but there is no program that opens the world of operatic singing to young people from society.
Project goal:
A multi-year project aimed at teaching classical/operatic singing to male and female singers from the Arab sector.
The way:
Collaboration with the Polyphony association, which operates in Nazareth with young musicians, with some of the meetings taking place at the Polyphony Conservatory in Nazareth and some at the Israel Opera House.
An ongoing annual curriculum for 8 high school-aged singers during which the singers receive voice development lessons from teachers from the Israeli Opera. The singers also receive lessons and guidance in a variety of other subjects such as movement, opera directing, opera history, and work with the best musicians who work in the Israeli Opera on an ongoing basis. The singers regularly watch Israeli Opera productions.
The program constitutes a unique model of collaboration between talented young musicians, Jewish and Arab, around music and art in society.
Like all of Polyphony’s and the Israeli Opera’s activities, the development of the vocal field in Arab society will be based first and foremost on an uncompromising aspiration for excellence and will incorporate work on the students’ personal development as singers and as engaged citizens in Israel’s multicultural society.
The program is supported by the Lottery Agency.
Thank you to Irit Rappaport for her support of the program.