The Traveling Soprano

I have had the privilege of traveling to many places for singing endeavors. My studies have taken me abroad to Austria and Italy as well as various parts of the United States. The opportunities presented include auditions, paid singing gigs, and summer training programs. As a result, I’ve been exposed to a plethora of cultures, languages, and artistic development styles, and received valuable feedback.

One of my favorite singing travel adventures took me to Italy in July of 2022 where I spent four weeks training, performing, and exploring fascinating places with an abundance of nature.

Many classical and musical theatre performers look for opportunities on Yaptracker.com. It’s a resourceful website that links professional companies looking to hire or showcase artists for their projects. In the summer of 2022, I stumbled across a company offering a three-week training program in the mountains of a remote part of northern Italy. I was attracted to the location and the soprano leading the program. I applied and was one of sixteen accepted.

Though the program did not begin until July 16th, I decided to fly into Italy three days earlier to allow myself time to acclimate to the new environment and explore Venice. My flight landed in Venice on July 13th, late at night. Getting off the plane and walking to the ports was chaotic and unorganized. Many people had scheduled boat rides that were waiting to chauffeur them to their hotel. A handful of people, myself included, did not have arrangements made. I was unaware this was a necessary step to take as the boat owners/drivers ended their shifts hours before. After a few hours of waiting, I was fortunate enough to hop on a ride with a family headed in the same direction. My first piece of advice: don’t fly into Venice late at night as there are limited to no means of transportation into the city. If you must, contact your hotel for travel assistance.

Venetian Port During the Daytime

Once I arrived in Venice around one in the morning, panic began to fire within me. I had four weeks worth of luggage and could not comprehend how I was to manage carrying my luggage over a mile of cobblestone, stairs, and hills, in the middle of the night. My patience and endurance were put to the ultimate test and I eventually made it to the hotel. The hotel was charming with heavy dark accents. The room was tiny, less than 300 square feet, but provided all the necessities. I knocked out immediately so that I could have energy for the next day.

The following days were humid and full of sunshine and adventure. I ate a copious amount of gelato amarena (cherry) to cool off from the overwhelming heat. I enjoyed the freshest seafood and pasta and the local favorite Aperol spritz. I tasted luxurious sweets at the Scuola di Cioccolato, was awestruck by the presence of the Basilica, and ate the most delicious truffle risotto overlooking the grand canal. I took a short audio tour of the Teatro la Fenice and bought a Maria Callas mouse pad souvenir. I unfortunately was unable to score tickets to an opera as performance dates began after my European departure.

During my last day in Venezia, I was able to secure a COVID test and rent a car for the two-hour journey to the program. The road trip was scenic and filled with vibrant hues of greens and browns. Before getting to the final destination, I made a stop at a small city called Belluno, high in the mountains. There were beautiful buildings occupied by home tenants, shops, and cafés. There was a local farmers market selling fresh produce. As I wondered about, I was scouring the area for cooked food and stumbled across the Osteria con Alimentari. I sat outside in the sunshine while enjoying a vegetarian burrito. It was time to journey onward to arrive in time for the program.

When I arrived, I was met with fresh air, lively waterfalls, greenery in every direction, and a warm welcome from the program hosts. I was greeted with smiles and instantly felt the warmth of the culture. I was told the program organized a dinner for the students and staff on the top floor of a local hotel. I was excited! Upon entering our private dinner, the smell of fresh cheeses, meats, bread, and h’ordeuvres filled the room. I sat at the corner booth next to my fellow program mates. The other students knew each other from their studies in Milan and grouped together immediately. The scene felt chaotic as Italian and Asian dialects fluttered about. I was the only student whose first language was English. My ear was overwhelmed attempting at the Italian translations. The hosts officially greeted us and one was kind enough to translate in English. As time passed and we enjoyed the exquisite Italian cuisine, some of the students gradually attempted conversation with me and I was grateful. I kept my translator handy to engage with them and their patience never went unnoticed.

Each day of the program was split into three to five parts. The day began with breakfast at the hostel. Admittedly, the food at the hostel was less than subpar and I often skipped. Throughout the duration of the program, I noticed many other students skipping breakfast as well. The stark differences between American and Italian breakfast cuisine were a difficult adjustment. Though I usually participate in intermittent fasting, if I have to function at a high capacity early in the morning, my hunger is prominent. In the early mornings, I craved eggs, potatoes, avocado, fruits, smoothies, and fresh juices. None of them were available nor a staple in Italian breakfasts. Instead, breakfast consists of pastries, bread, cereals, canned fruit, jams, and coffee. A light yet starch-heavy meal.

The second part of the day included daily masterclasses and private lessons that took place in a building 20 minutes uphill from the hostel. It was a grueling journey despite the unparalleled nature scenes. Once at the building, we had access to practice rooms which I utilized daily before and after my private lessons. The community was encouraged to sit in on our lessons/masterclasses and often did. The one-on-one time I had with my teacher focused heavily on the Italian legato line, producing an “avanti” (outward) sound, ornamentation, coloratura, and an authentic Italian sound. The repertoire I worked on during the program included: Sposa son disprezzata by Geminiano Giacomelli, Ave Maria by Schubert, Depuis le jour by Gustave Charpentier, and Non si da follia maggiore by Gioacchino Rossini. I recorded each lesson and found the majority of the information invaluable and applicable to my studies. I gained insight and a new respect for arias I had worked on for years and was challenged with new repertoire that incorporated a significant amount of agility.

The third part of the day was considered a resting period. Many of the shops closed for a few hours in the middle of the day to enjoy time with the family. During this time, I would have lunch at a local Italian restaurant. (Insert July 22nd) Some days, the program organized voluntary field trips during the resting period and I participated in all. For one of the trips, we visited a museum with intricate bronze and woodwork. It expanded across three floors and featured the works of Augusto Murer.

Museum Video

There were several days dedicated to traveling to nearby cities and advertising our concerts through flashmobs. We sang the famous Brinidisi from La Traviata, O Sole Mio composed by Eduardo Di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi, and Valzer di Frou Frou from La Duchessa del Bal Tabarin. We were able to gather a large crowd and pass out flyers to our concert. After singing, we were free to explore the city. I bought a few souvenirs, ate lunch, and walked along the streets with shops. It was a lovely experience.

The fourth part of the day usually involved ensemble work. Practice included preparation for our flashmobs, duets, and trios for concerts, and extra prep work for concert management. Times were divided based on duet/trio partners and those not singing were given the freedom to utilize practice rooms and/or observe others’ lessons. I often sat in to gain insight on the lessons and observe the singer’s reactions to critiques and compliments. It was also a valuable Italian linguistic lesson as all lessons were done in Italian.

The last part of the day included free time and family-style dinners. Dinner was held every night at a nearby hotel. They had a large table set up for the entire program and the menu items changed daily. We were given a choice for each course (usually four courses) and I was thankful there was always a fish and/or vegetarian option as I do not consume red meat. I always looked forward to dinners because the atmosphere was relaxed, the food was always delicious, and as time passed, the students opened up more and engaged in meaningful conversations with me despite the language barrier. Additionally, we were able to converse with hotel guests since they too, had dinner in the same room at the same time. I was pleasantly surprised at how welcomed I felt and how the locals took an interest in our group.

During our free time, I usually went and explored the town. I had a rental car for the first few days and took advantage of going on adventures. The area where we stayed was a remote location with vast views of mountains, plains, forests, and waterfalls. It truly was breathtaking. I remember one day riding through curvy roads uphill and parking at a spot overlooking the town. I took out my drone and sat for a couple of hours getting footage and staring out into what looked like a postcard. I could not believe people called such a beautiful place home. I took notice of the differences between here and the States. The homes looked from a different era built of tuff bricks and with wood interior. Many of the furnishing and finished would be classified as outdated however, it brings charm and uniformity to the community. I noticed the lack of gates around the homes creating a communal atmosphere. Some homes had large amounts of spaces in between while others were very close in proximity. The homes were surrounded by lush greenery offering plenty of gardening and outdoor entertainment space.

My time with the program ended in late July with a few local concerts. One concert took place at a historic church high in the hills. It poured rain the night of the concert making the drive dangerous. We all arrived safely and performed to a full house. I sang Schubert’s Ave Maria. If you look closely, you can see and hear thunder in the video background.

Jessica McKenzie Snippet of Ave Maria

Our final concert took place in a concert hall and required formal gown attire. I sang Depuis le jour as well as ensemble works from our flashmob. The night was bittersweet as we celebrated a successful program and said goodbye to our new friendships. I will never forget this trip or the people I met. It was an unforgettable experience that made me fall in love with Europe.

Italy Final Performance