Our fees for summer studies are, in reality, partial scholarships. We believe this is fair because so many young singers on the threshold of a professional career have very little money and are sorely in need of exposure. We try to open doors for deserving talents. In this regard, we try to keep expenses to a minimum, making our dollar go farther. For example, in housing participants, we offer suites for two, three or four people rather than single rooms, for the most part. The small tuition that we do charge has to cover the salaries of instructors, conductors, stage directors and other professionals as well as food and a few other amenities.

To be sure, the tuition does not cover everything. As part of our company’s philosophy, we make up the difference. This is a decision we made for our vocal summer studies programs. While this arrangement does not apply to all of the programs we offer, it has always been a crucial component for our vocal summer studies programs. In keeping with rising prices in general, our tuition, while minimal, may change slightly the following year(s).

Altamura Summer Institute, August 20 through August 26, 2007 Program:

Who is Who of the Faculty:
Antonio Stragapede, bass-baritone, repertoire, voice
Anthony Benenati, Stage Director, acting for singers
Soprano, Carmela Altamura, Founder/Director, Altamura/Caruso International Voice Competition, voice, ethics, singer and management, stage comportment, presence, ethics.

Opera Coaaches:
Erasia Voukelatos
Nana Valpa
Kristine Massari, Italian language, diction
John Keeler, historian, critic
Anton Coppola, eminent conductor: casting, rep consultant, auditions

Antonio Stragapede, bass-baritone
Curriculum:
Antonio Stragapede, bass- baritone, born in Molfetta, Italy, began his studies with Maria Luisa Cioni and Agelo Bertacchi, and continued advance studies with Rodolfo Celletti, Leo Nucci, Piero Cappuccilli and Carlo Bergonzi, while at the same time completing his studies in jurisprudence. After winning numerous competitions, among them, Mattia Battistini, Paolo Neglia, Voci Nuove per la Lirica of Parma, Italy, Katia Ricciarelli, Mario del Monaco, Spazio Musica and As.Li.Co of Milano, he made his debut in the Magic Flute and La Boheme at the Teatro A. Ponchielli of Cremona and at the Teatro Sociale of Como. Since then, he has appeared in major operatic roles throughout Italy, Europe, and the USA in the following : Madame Butterfly (Sharpless) Aida, Falstaff, Rigoletto, Cavalleria Rusticana, Lucia di Lammermoor, I Pagliacci, Il Corsaro, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino, Traviata, Nabucco, Carmen, Andrea Chenier, Il Tabarro, Trovatore, Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutti, Otello, Maria di Rohan, and Don Giovanni in collaborations with Teatro Alla Scala, throughout Switzerland. For the Altamura Summer Festival, Round Top, New York, he performed as Don Basilio in the Barber of Seville, conducted by Karel Mark Chichon. He recently recorded Don Giovanni under the direction of Yves Senn, La Fanciulla del West, I Medici by Leoncavallo, Il Tabarro, I Medici di R. Leoncavallo (dir. Marcello Viotti) con R. Bruson e G.Giacomini, Il Tabarro (Michele), Le Villi (Gulielmo) con K. Ricciarelli e Pippo Baudo (voce recitante)

Sacred Music engagements include:
Messa di Requiem di G. Verdi alla Carnegie Hall di New York , IX Sinfonia of Beethoven in a Tournè of France and Teatro Politeama di Lecce, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis at the Sala F.Liszt in Budapest (dir. Ligeti), c. Orff’s I Carmina Burana. Mozart’s Requiem Bari and Capri, Handel’s Messiah at the Cattedrale di Lanciano (CH) with the Orchestra “F.Fenaroli”, and with the ’Orchestra “G.Paisiello” in the Cattedrale di Taranto, in addition, he participated in the Festival di Musica Sacra Contemporanea di Roma. He performed La Vita di Maria di N.Rota a Taranto and Roma ( broadcast by Rai-TV) Perosi’s , La Resurrezione di Cristo in Bari, K. Weill’s I Sette Peccati Capitali with Milva at the Teatro Orfeo di Taranto, J.S. Bach’s Magnificat at Foggia and the world premiere of Il Segreto del Tempio by Osvaldo Kuscas a Castel del Monte (BA). In a special arrangement of Shakespeare and Opera created by the eminent Anton Coppola for the Altamura Summer Music Festival of Round Top, NY, Antonio Stragapede will be featured in Verdi’s Macbeth and Falstaff.