Nevada Opera's Studio Program
Youth Program
| The Spring, 2013 program is currently underway. The program began January 7th and will culminate with a performance in June. For information on the program, click here. |
The Youth Program is designed to create professional opportunities and enhance the skills of young performers with early dreams of becoming professional performers. The program creates opportunities for young performers to learn roles in musicals and operas written specifically for performers between the ages of 9 and 18. It creates a professional atmosphere to hone their skills and a safe environment for them to pursue their musical future. It runs on a professional model and all young performers are expected to advance in their musical, performing and collaborative skills with the final production being in alignment with professionally acceptable productions world-wide.
The program is an educational program with individual and group vocal, acting and dramatic training and opportunities and requires a small fee of $200 per child per session. We are seeking funds to provide scholarships for at-risk and economically-disadvantaged youth, so that children with interest and ability can participate in this program, no matter their financial situation. This program is expected to be financially self-sustaining in the first year through tuition and ticket sales.There are scholarships available for qualifying children, as Nevada Opera supports local talent at all cost.
Linda Saxton is the Director of the Nevada Opera Youth Program. She brings more than 35 years of musical experience to what promises to be an exciting time in our city’s performance culture. The program, begun with the Fall, 2012 session, provides an opportunity for students to receive vocal, performance, dance, and dramatic training. Students in the fall program were cast in Nevada Opera’s production of Sweeney Todd; 18 students participated in The Best Christmas Pagent Ever.
Our students are active in the larger community:
- Danielle Mudd, a member of the Youth Chorus for 7 years sang the National Anthem at a Reno Bighorns game Feb. 9th. Emily Watson will sing at the Bighorns April 2nd and the Aces game, May 25th.
- Jaycee Lanza and Hannah Eckert, both of whom were in the Fall, 2012 program, will be playing Cosette (Hannah) and Eponine (Jaycee) in the Tahoe Players production of Les Miserables in late July. Sydney Berg will also appear. Jaycee played Maria in a local production of West Side Story as well as singing at local events with the Youth Programs trio. Hannah has had solo appearances with the local Bel Canto organization and portrayed Linus in Broadway Bits' You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.
- At the Lenea music and theater festival/competition in Sacramento, Kaelyn York, a senior at Truckee High received a silver, and Savanah Wilkinson, a sophmore received a gold in STAGE DOOR,a duo scene. Both are members of our 2012-2013 programs.This competition is held yearly for all of No CA high schoolers. Students submit their choice of scenes and perform before judges/ professors from Sac State, City College, actors and actresses from NY and LA Equity and Sag. Both students were coached by director Peggy Boelk, who works with our Youth Program.
- Kaelyn York, Chelsea Mohun, Savannah Wilkinson, Mikayla Mattocks will be performing in Truckee High Schools "The Best of Broadway" May 10, 11, 12 and 16,17,18. Directed by Peggy Boelk and Music Director Linda Saxton
A possibe production for the fall of 2013 is Linda’s original “A Hop Through History”, a musical journey through American history that corresponds with the 5th Grade curriculum in Nevada. Se is reaching out to the Washoe County School District to gain their participation to present this fun, learning musical in Reno.
We collaborate with other Reno organizations and businesses: The Terry Lee Wells Discovery Museum; Reno Video Game Orchestra; Steinway Gallery; Petfolio (Art Paws), UNR, Sarah Winnemucca Elementary School, Washoe County, and the Washoe County School District.
