Help Glaucio reach for the stars
Namibia’s rising opera star Glaucio Ngaca recently visited Hannover in Germany where he attended a few masterclasses and participated in some concerts. While there, he also attended a number of auditions and was selected to participate in a month-long training programme hosted by the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar (LOSW). The training takes place from 27 June to 24 July and culminates in the performance of a role in a fully staged opera – in Glaucio’s case the roles of Sarastro and Der Sprecher in Mozart’s opera, Die Zauberflöte. However, the training does not come cheap. So, to get back to Germany and to pay the tuition fees, he established a gofundme campaign. The LOSW’s training programme is designed for emerging professional singers who are considering a career in Europe, with a focus on the German theatre industry. LOSW develops singers through intensive daily German language and diction coaching, training in singing, movement, the rehearsal process and role study, as well as master classes, individual lessons and stagecraft instruction. Fees total €4 450 for tuition, accommodation and two meals, five days a week. However, travel costs and other daily expenses are not included. LOSW’s rigorous, month-long programme is unique to opera training since it gives singers a realistic view of breaking into the German theatre world. Only 28 positions are offered each session, which means that each student receives a high degree of individualized attention. Additionally, the studio provides participants with comprehensive career preparation, giving equal attention to practical instruction, performance training, individual coaching and career management. Glaucio has been a student of the College of the Arts in Namibia since 2015, where he is studying towards a Licentiate in Singing: Performance, which is equivalent to an Honours degree. According to COTA rector Angelika Schröder, Glaucio has put in extra rehearsal time to hone his technical skills. “He has also participated in numerous COTA events, including the Baroque Festival, the Concerto Festival and the Christmas Memories concert.” She added that he has composed several works on African music outside of COTA, is working towards his Licentiate in Music Theory and is currently developing an opera. “He is, without a doubt, a bright young man,” she said. For more information, contact Glaucio at
[email protected]
