Introducing our 2021 Artist Roster! Congratulations!
Dr. Maria Vetere, co-director (Canada)
Mme. Aprile Millo, co-director (USA)
Mo. Inseon Lee, pianist (South Korea/Italy)
Mo. Gigi V. DeSabata, mascot ufficiale (Italy)
Ms. Lindsey Duggan, soprano (Canada)
Dr. Brianna DeSantis, soprano (Canada)
Mr. Joseph Wilson, baritone (USA)
Mrs. Charlene Flikkema, mezzo-soprano (Canada)
Mr. Stephen Teves, tenor (Canada)
Mrs. Lisa Di Maria, soprano (Canada)
Ms. Amy Bourdon, soprano (Canada)
Mr. Joel Ricci, tenor (Canada)
Ms. Emily Casey, soprano (USA)
Mr. Anthony Bellissimo, basso (USA)
Miss Gioia Bonifacio-Proietto, soprano (Canada)
Mr. Mario Morales, tenor, (USA)
Mrs. Nadine Wethington, soprano (USA)
Ms. Francisca Jûnemann, soprano (Chile)
Dr. Nakia Verner, soprano (USA)
Ms. Masami Ganev, soprano (Japan/Brazil)
Mr. Maximililano Illanes, tenor (Argentina)
Dr. Catherine Wethington, soprano (USA)
Mr. Miguel Geraldi, tenor (Brazil)
Ms. Alyssa Epp, soprano (Canada)
Ms. Natalie Erskine, soprano (USA)
Mr. Mark Pepe, tenor (Canada)
Ms. Jennifer McKillop, soprano (Canada)
Ms. Valeria Rodrigues, soprano (Argentina)
Ms. Evelyne Larochelle, soprano (Canada)
Dr. Beth Bayley, soprano (Canada/USA)
Mr. Daniel Abadie, tenor (Canada)
Mr. Alexander Leigh, baritone (Canada)
Ms. Rosimari Oliveira, soprano (Brazil)
Mrs. Cathy Teves, soprano (Canada)
Operavision in the Big Apple
Today we are excited to hear American artists. The international auditions and Canadian auditions have set the highest level Operavision Academy has ever had. Truly remarkable artists and singing. We expect to hear the same today. Gigi, our mascot, has his ears perked!
Just a note to any singers who missed these deadlines. You’re not out of luck! We will accept late applications. Just head to our applications page, fill out your form and send it to us st operavisionacademy@gmail.com
Opera Repertoire for Operavision Academy 2019: GET INSPIRED!!!!
Week 1: July 8-13, 2019 BEL CANTO WEEK with legendary Maestro Richard Bonynge and Maestra Aprile Millo

Lucia di Lammermoor Act I (all roles)
Maria Stuarda Act I (all roles)
La Sonnambula Act II (all roles)
I Capuletti e I Montecchi Act II (all roles)
I Puritani (selected scenes)
L’Elisir D’Amore (selected scenes)
Roberto Devereux (selected scenes)
Week 2: July 15-20, 2019 PUCCINI WEEK with Maestra Silvia Gasperini, Maestra Sylvia Dimiziani, and Maestra Aprile Millo
Le Villi (all roles) Act I
La Bohème (all roles) Act III
La Rondine (all roles) Act I
Turandot (all roles) Act I, Scena degli Enigmi, Finale Act III
Week 3: July 22-27, 2019 VERDI WEEK with Maestra Aprile Millo, Mr. Robert Lombardo (international agent), and Maestro Marco Gandini (International Opera Director/La Scala)

Concerto at VILLA VERDI (Sant’Agata)
Scenes from:
Il Trovatore
Rigoletto
La Traviata
Simon Boccanegra
FULL OPERA PRESENTATION AT LA ROCCA DI BUSSETO directed by Marco Gandini
Il Corsaro
With Lead Musical Staff: Maestra Inseon Lee and Maestra Dr. Maria Vetere
Dr. Maria Vetere Maestra Inseon Lee
Auditions will determine casting for all the above role possibilities. So much to learn, and so much fun to develop and present these acts with the guidance of unparalleled Maestri and coaches. Don’t miss out! Come be with us and have your SUMMER OF DREAMS in BUSSETO 2019!!!!
International Agent, Robert Lombardo comes to Operavision Academy July 22-24, 2019
International Opera Agent and Founder of Lombardo and Associates of New York will be attending Operavision Academy from July 22-24, 2019 during Verdi Week and will be hearing and offering career advice to our artist roster. Mr. Lombardo is a wealth of knowledge about the opera business, establishing a career, maintaining a career, and about musical presentation for auditions and stage. We are thrilled and honoured to have Mr. Lombardo with us.
Operavision Academy Applications for early admission and scholarship due Feb 16, 2019
If you are planning to be with us this summer. Please submit your application for early admission and scholarship possibilities by February 16, 2019. Partial scholarships will be offered on the basis of the excellence of auditions. Please make note of the following dates. We can’t wait to share our new additions with you! Come experience the summer of dreams in BUSSETO 2019!!!!

Operavision announces permanent faculty!
We at Operavision Academy are proud and thrilled to officially and permanently institute Maestra Inseon Lee of Korea as the Head of Musical Staff. Maestra Lee works at the Accademia della Scala in Milano, in opera houses internationally, and recently made her Carnegie Hall Debut in a recital with Operavision’s own, the legendary Aprile Millo. Having been on our staff for the past four years, Maestra Lee brings a wealth of knowledge of style, language, and performance practice in opera and she is one of the rare human orchestras as an accompanist. We are very proud to have her as a permanent member of our faculty and wish her success and congratulations in all that she aspires. Grazie Maestra Lee!
Passion and Beauty in Busseto, Italy 2018

Returning for the 4th time by special invitation to this gorgeous city and people we love…. Busseto, Italy….with hearts full of joy and promise but also in loving remembrance of our very cherished friend and inspiration, the great Simonetta Puccini, who left us just a little while ago, and we are holding her fast in our hearts and close in our thoughts. This year will be dedicated to her memory and we will sing so she can hear us in her heaven of melody and glorious light and harmony……
Come join us for an always astoundingly profound journey in history as we strive to create our own….. so much to announce, but now, this to invite….. come be with us…. you’ll never forget it or be the same!
More news to follow….. and Happy Birthday to our beloved Voice of an Angel, Renata Tebaldi……cannot wait to see the beautiful Museo in her name……
AUDITIONS FOR NEW YORK CITY/WASHINGTON DC APPLICANTS
Auditions for the New York City/Washington Applicants to Operavision Academy will be held on Friday, April 7, 2017. You will be notified via e-mail about a time. Location: Ripley Grier Studios 520 8th Ave (Room TBA).
Applicants must sing one aria of their choice and the academy will choose one other aria. Aria selections must be from these categories: Bel Canto/Puccini/Verdi. Please bring a copy for the pianist.
Glorious Warriors for the Arts
{New} Operavision Academy Summer 2017
So genuinely excited to announce the special collaboration for week one, the opening week this summer begun in glorious fashion with a very special friend of the arts and of Mme. Aprile Millo. Marco Gandini is a highly accomplished world renowned director who has worked in almost every major Opera house and is an acclaimed stage designer and director. We are particularly proud to have this in demand presence with us for opening week…..
Marco Gandini,
Guest Stage Director, graduated from Rome’s “La Sapienza” University.
He has been Assistant and Associate Director for opera productions by Lofti Mansouri, Giuliano Montaldo, Mauro Bolognini, Pier Luigi Pizzi, Hugo de Ana and Nuria Espert.
Since 1992 he has worked extensively with Franco Zeffirelli in opera productions and movies, and has been Associate Director for both new and revival productions by Graham Vick.
He has worked in the major Italian opera houses (including Teatro alla Scala, Rome Opera, San Carlo Theatre in Naples) and internationally at the Met in New York, Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, Washington and Los Angeles Opera, NNT and Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, The Royal Opera House in London, Teatro Real in Madrid, Teatro Liceu, Mariinsky Theatre in San Petersburg.
In 1997 he made his debut as Production Director with a new production of Gianni Schicchi at Teatro Filarmonico in Verona.
Among the highlights of his career are Cavalleria rusticana and La Vida Breve by De Falla in Livorno, for the opening of Teatro Goldoni, attended by President of Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, La Traviata in Genova, Un Ballo in Maschera at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Betulia Liberata premiere staged version, conducted by Riccardo Muti at Pfingstfestspiele in Salzburg and at Ravenna Festival, La Traviata in a new production in Malta, La bohème at Rome Opera with conductor James Conlon, Simon Boccanegra at Korean National Opera in Seoul conducted by Myung-whun Chung, La bohème in Puccini’s hometown of Lucca in a new production with debuting young singers conducted by Boncompagni, Il viaggio a Reims new production for the opera season inauguration at Teatro del Maggio Fiorentino conducted by Rustioni, La bohème conducted by Myung-whun Chung in a new production as celebration for 50th anniversary of Korean National Opera in Seoul, then taken on tour at NCPA in Beijing.
Marco Gandini teaches Technics for Expression for the Young Singers Program at Teatro alla Scala Academy in Milan.
and a great pleasure to welcome as a special Master Collaborator, Professor Emerita of University of Buffalo and California State University at Northridge, and longtime cherished friend and colleague of Dr. Mary-Lou Vetere, Sylvia Brigham Dimiziani, who will give expert guidance in diction and declamation. We are so proud to have this cultivated and lovely woman of the Arts with us this year.
More announcements coming…..thrilling people and inspiring great young artists.