Mission & Vision

Purpose

There are two stated purposes of Texas State Opera Theatre: the first purpose is to provide intensive training for the opera student.  We believe that character development and the creation of true relationships between the characters are paramount.  This goal is achieved through a series of steps:

1. Intense acting training, both with the spoken and sung word,
2. The concept that the beauty and passion of the music can be utilized as a partner to the singer as they move hand in hand toward the emotional objective conceived by the composer,
3. A number of performance opportunities made available to the singer that allows them to participate in the application of the techniques being taught.

The second purpose is to introduce, solidify and celebrate the genre of opera in the local and regional community.

Training

Opera training at Texas State is inspired by the work of two giants in the field - acting teacher Sanford Meisner and opera impresario Walter Felsenstein. Meisner's acting training focuses on true reaction and relationship between actors, without manipulating or predetermining outcomes. At Texas State we feel that such a focus provides the singing actor the best opportunity to transmit truth in emotion while keeping the vocal apparatus free and unconstricted.

In Walter Felsenstein's transcendent productions and rehearsal process, he insisted on the singer using the music itself as a partner in the transmission of thought, relationship and emotion. By relying on the music to carry some of the load, the opera student is free to expand their emotional boundaries while singing beautifully.

For more information on the Meisner Technique, visit here.

Performance Opportunities

Performance opportunities abound for opera students at Texas State.  Texas State Opera Theatre presents two fully staged productions with orchestra, per year.  In addition, both opera classes present opera scenes.

Recent masterclasses include acting with John De Lancie, voice with Margaret Lattimore, Maria Kanyova, and David DQ Lee; collaboration with Margo Garrett, and movement with Andrea Heaberlin.  This spring, our students also had the opportunity to work with soprano Margaret Rose-Koenn and mezzo-soprano Jill Grove.

We also regularly tour throughout the community by engaging scenes, partial or whole productions of our current shows, or by producing children’s operas and master classes into the schools.  Add to this the performances for private and social groups, and the opera student will never be at a loss for performing opportunities!