This month, OperaVision is back with the Rossini Opera Festival’s Accademia Rossiniana ‘Alberto Zedda’ where we hear about alumnus Stefan Astakov’s opera journey and how he has learnt to let go of technique when performing in front of a judging panel. Coach and tenor Luca Canonici shares what he thinks young singers should avoid at all costs. We hear words of wisdom for singers about giving one’s soul to the public, and how it’s important to be kind to yourself and not to get trapped in an ‘emotional cage’.

This month we return to the Palau de les Arts and their Centre de Perfeccionament, where the young Soprano Iria Goti finds her feet in a brand new production of Cendrillon. We discover how she reacts when self-criticism and nerves take hold during a performance. Meanwhile, alumna of the programme soprano Angel Blue gives us an insight into her relationship with comparison and competition, and shares how performances can be affected by something much more serious than the stress of day-to-day life events.

What goes through the mind of the award-winning young soprano Nombulelo Yende as she steps onto the stage at Oper Frankfurt for a major role debut with just a few rehearsals? Nina Brazier chats to her before rehearsals begin, and in her dressing room during a performance. Meanwhile, internationally acclaimed alumna of the Oper Frankfurt Studio, Mezzo Soprano Paula Murrihy shares her journey as one of the first participants of the programme, and reveals the pivotal moment in her operatic career.

On track to becoming a doctor in Mexico and finding opera as something ‘for old people’, Leonardo Sanchez made an unexpected career pivot and discovered that singing opera really could be a viable career choice. So how have the first steps in opera been for this emerging tenor? How has he squared reality and against his own high expectations? We hear from a number of people who are keeping a watchful eye on his development, namely Lawrence Brownlee, the American tenor and star of bel canto, and Julia Lagahuzère director of Opera for Peace, who is preparing her next academy for young singers in Paris; she explains how she asks the difficult questions in the opera business.

From one young singer who left her academy without permission to sing at her audition in Valencia, to another being interrupted in his dressing room by the artistic director of Teatro Real, we hear the unusual journeys of three young artists at the Centre de Perfeccionament, Palau de les Arts in Valencia.  We have conversations on how to perform your best under pressure, ways of getting through feeling deeply overwhelmed and hear about the importance of using the tools at your fingertips and making the most of every single opportunity.

Four Young Artists from Oper Frankfurt’s Opera Studio share their stories – from their first auditions in front of the Intendant Bernd Loebe, and on to negotiating their way through the early months of the programme and taking on major roles in mainstage productions. Along the way they explore how to filter the very best advice from experts, discover the necessity of dealing with the inner critic, and learn to listen to and trust their own unique voice. We also hear insights from the other side of the table, with Thomas Stollberger who runs Opera Studio sharing his thoughts on finding the right balance to support and nurture the next generation of young artists.