The Atlanta Opera Announces Annual High School Opera Institute Spring Performance, 6/9

The Atlanta Opera, one of the nation's finest regional opera companies enriching lives through the power of opera, today announced that its annual High School Opera Institute's (HSOI) spring performance will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, 2013at Morningside Presbyterian Church. The concert is free and open to the public.

Currently in its fourth year, HSOI provides focused training for high school students looking to continue music study at the collegiate and, eventually, professional level. The eight-month program invites some of the area's most talented high school students in grades 10-12 throughout Metro Atlanta to audition for The Atlanta Opera. Selected participants then attend vocal coachings on topics that include preparing and auditioning for a role, selecting a music school, characterization, diction, and vocal technique. The coachings are done by HSOI Music Director and Atlanta Opera Chorus Master Mr. Walter Huff, Ms. Beverly Blouin, and Dr. Stephanie Adrian. Ms. Laura English-Robinson presented a college preparatory workshop to the group. HSOI students also attend a vocal health seminar presented by the Emory Voice Center. Students will showcase their work in the June 9 performance featuring arias and small ensemble pieces from some of opera's greatest works by composers including Mozart, Bizet, Menotti, Floyd, and Copland.

This year, 15 students were selected to participate in the High School Opera Institute. Their names and high schools are listed below:

Lily Balshan North Springs High School (Fulton County)

P. Aiden Brooks The Paideia School

Courtney Caston Pebblebrook High School (Cobb County)

Shayne Goldberg Rome High School (Rome City)

Mary Katherine Henry The Westminster Schools

Kayla Holcomb Gordon Central High School (Gordon County)

Rosie Hughes The Paideia School

Kylie Humber Heritage High School (Rockdale County)

Ilene Isaacson Pope High School (Cobb County)

Marc Laroussini Chamblee Charter High School (DeKalb County)

Julianna Lassiter Eastside High School (Newton County)

Camille Mapua Wheeler High School (Cobb County)

Chris Martin The Lovett School

Susan Reyes North Cobb High School (Cobb County)

Daniela Rivera Atlanta International School