COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) UPDATE

Along with countless arts organizations around the world, the Martina Arroyo Foundation has also been dramatically impacted by the global pandemic. Our Foundation is deeply committed to the health, well-being and safety of our young artists, faculty, staff and audiences.

While our staff works remotely (in order to adhere to social-distancing recommendations), we are closely monitoring the current public health crisis and we continue to rely on evidence-based information published by the State of New York and the CDC.

We are so grateful for all the enthusiastic and heartwarming responses received from around the world letting us know how much you enjoy our Prelude to Performance events online.  We also hope to bring you virtual Role Classes and Master Classes soon and will keep you updated when we have more information. Please be sure to join our mailing list below.

Our Board of Directors, staff and I hope that you stay healthy and safe during this unprecedented time.  Now more than ever, it is imperative that we look to the future for our young artists and their training.  We could not do this without you and your continued generous support, thank you.

Sincerely,

Martina Arroyo

President and Artistic Director

The Martina Arroyo Foundation

Contact us for any additional information, or to join the mailing list.


 

Breaking Prelude News

 

Congratulations to our Alumni for winning their respective Metropolitan Opera Council District Auditions!

We are so proud and wish them continued success for the upcoming rounds!

 
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Soprano, Nina Mutalifu (Prelude 2018)

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Soprano, Melanie Spector (Prelude 2019)

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Baritone, Ben Reisinger (Prelude 2017)

 

 
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Brandie Sutton, s

oprano,

Prelude 2015

Brandie Sutton will be making her Metropolitan Opera debut as Clara in Porgy and Bess on February 4th, 2020.

“The soprano Brandie Sutton brings a radiant, agile voice and tender, expressive touches to Rautendelein— a ravishing performance.”
— The New York Times
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Patrick Guetti,

bass,

Prelude 2011

Patrick Guetti will be making his Metropolitan Opera debut as Sarastro in the Met's production of The Magic Flute on January 3rd, 2020 at 7:30pm.

Patrick Guetti, bass sang the role of Commendatore in Prelude's production of Don Giovanni in 2011; a role shared in Prelude with Bass-Baritone, Ryan Speedo Green.

Tenor, Jonathan Tetelman, (Eisenstein in 2016 Die Fledermaus) and Mezzo, Hogni Wu, (Prince Orlovsky in 2016 Die Fledermaus) are singing together in ROH Covent Garden's production of La Traviata, Jan. 22, 2020!

Regionals and semi-finals, here we come!

Five Prelude Alums have won their District Competitions of Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions!

Learn more →

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OPERAWIRE Artist Of The Week for January 20th: Jonathan Tetelman!

“The real treat, however, came in the Duke sung by the tenor Jonathan Tetelman...The guy’s a total star.”
— The New York Times
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Elisabeth Harris, mezzo, Prelude 2019

Mentioned in Fred Plotkin's Freddie Awards (Excellence in Opera Awards) in the "Prick Up Your Ears" category.

“Elisabeth Harris, mezzo from New Zealand, sang Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, presented by the Martina Arroyo Foundation as part of its essential Prelude to Performance initiative. Her voice had tonal quality that brought to mind that of the great Tatiana Troyanos, which is a gift. Her singing and acting of the bored prince was always engaging and charismatic, no small achievement in what is an unexpectedly tricky role.”
— Fred Plotkin's Freddie Awards (Excellence in Opera Awards)
 
 

“The talent assembled for this Die Fledermaus was especially gifted and well-prepared, with every one of the leading and secondary roles displaying utter commitment to the comedy…”

“While the many Broadway theaters were left in the dark following a blackout in Midtown Manhattan on Saturday, July 13, the Danny Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College was ablaze with the starry talents of Prelude to Performance’s one-night-only performance…”

-Opera News, Steven Jude Tientjen, October 2019 Read the full review →

 
 
 
 

Photography by Jen Joyce Davis of JJ Davis Studios

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“Robert Sherman announced that there would be a surprise guest, who wished to pay tribute to Arroyo and Prelude to Performance. It was Harolyn Blackwell, who sang a lovely rendition of “O mio babbino caro…”

“Robert Sherman announced that there would be a surprise guest, who wished to pay tribute to Arroyo and Prelude to Performance. It was Harolyn Blackwell, who sang a lovely rendition of “O mio babbino caro…”

“To mark Prelude to Performance’s fifteen-year milestone, the foundation invited three alumni of the program to perform during Prince Orlofksy’s gala “hosted” by WQXR’s Robert Sherman.”

Soprano Nicole Haslett singing Nannetta’s aria from Falstaff, tenor Noah Stewart singing “Donna non vidi mai” from Manon Lescaut, and soprano Maria Zvetkova with “Io son l’umile ancella” from Adriana Lecouvreur represented the many alumni of the program who have benefited from Martina Arroyo’s guidance and have gone on to have rewarding international careers.”

-Opera News, Steven Jude Tientjen, 10/19 Read the full review →

 
 

 "A Toast to Prelude to Performance from Prince Orlofsky and guests for giving us 15 years of such delightful evenings!…

…Chacun à son goût! Judy and I add the “special flavor with toppings” to our Fledermaus memory bank that this treasured and fun night offered us from the great Martina Arroyo’s new arrivals at the opera scene in a very captivating and enchanting performance of Die Fledermaus.”

-Nino Pantano, Brooklyn Eagle, The Italian Voice See photos and read the full review →

 
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"We have never seen/heard anyone in one of their performances that failed to fully inhabit their character and bring it to vivid life!"

“We have written every summer about Prelude to Performance which is celebrating 15 years of training young artists in many areas of performance, most notably that of character interpretation…That is thanks to input from Artistic Director Martina Arroyo, the legendary soprano who has devoted her post-performance years to developing the talents of the up and coming young singers in her program."

-Meche Kroop, Voce di Meche Read the full review →


Follow us for a look beyond the stage @martinaarroyofoundation


 
 

Our alumni are singing at major Opera houses.

Many of our Alumni have gone on to win major voice competitions as well as obtaining performance contracts with both large and small opera companies.

“It is an unforgettable experience, and essential training for those between the university and the real career. Few weeks combining best of the both “educational” and “professional” worlds to try yourself on stage under the very qualified supervision!”
— Yuriy Yurchuk, baritone
 
“I can’t say enough great things about the Martina Arroyo Foundation and Prelude to Performance. Martina gave me my first performances of The Barber of Seville, in a beautiful, traditional production with full orchestra with the most supportive artistic and administrative team you could imagine. My career now consists of so much Rossini, and to be able to sing such a long and difficult opera for the first time under such ideal circumstances was of invaluable help. Prelude to Performance is different from other summer programs for young artists, because singers actually get to perform leading roles, with enough rehearsal time to do them justice. And Martina has been a friend and ally of mine every since.”
— Alasdair Kent, tenor
 
 
 

"Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance series... has become an established operatic highlight every July!" 

-David Shengold, Gay City News 2018

 
 
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"Seeing and hearing young artists onstage and forgetting that they are young artists is a special treat we experience when attending one of Prelude to Performance's productions."  

-Voce di Meche, Meche Kroop, 2018

 
 
 
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Celebrated Prelude to Performance Alumni from around the world say

“Thank you Martina Arroyo!”

click the image below to watch the full video

 
 
 

Our Programs help young artists thrive. 

 

Prelude is an intensive training program for young aspiring singers from around the world, culminating into two fully staged opera performances.    

Role Class prepares singers with group and individual coaching, working with Martina Arroyo and her staff.

 
 
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The Foundation 

 
 

The Martina Arroyo Foundation prepares and counsels young singers in the interpretation of complete operatic roles for public performance.

 

... I grew up with an open mind and an open spirit and I think that’s extremely important for any young person and particularly an artist who then wants to play other characters and open their thoughts to being another person." -Martina Arroyo