HOW IT BEGAN 

In 2013 and 2014, the course was dedicated to individual lessons in vocal technique with Markéta Malcová and to classes in interpretation of Early Music led by the pianist and counter-tenor James Gray.

In 2015, a more ambitious project was presented and the young talented director Heather Hadrill from Ireland was invited to direct a staged production of Henry Purcell's masterpiece DIDO and AENEAS:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmHHYDq9f7Q

Barbora Čížkov (Dido), Myles Doyle (Aeneas).

In 2016, three performances were given of the early baroque opera LA DAFNE by Marco da Gagliano.

In July 2017 a highly successful production of VENUS and ADONIS by John Blow (Purcell's contemporary) received three performances. The role of Venus was interpreted by a student of the Bratislava Academy of Performing Arts, the soprano Eva Dovcová; her partner was sung by the Irish tenor Myles Doyle. The performance was preceded by Blow’s striking choral EPILOGUE.

In summer 2018 we studied and performed John Weldon's semi-opera THE TEMPEST,  originally attributed to H. Purcell. The main roles were performed by Pavel Kšica (Neptun), Bára Čížková (Amphitrite), Ruth Gallagher (Aeolus), and others.

The Course 2019 - the Italian genius of Handel in English - ACIS AND GALATEA,  The two-act version of George Frederic Handel‘s opera dates from 1739, and in all essentials, remains very close to the original work. 

After a break in 2020 due to the pandemic situation, in 2021 & 2022, we approached 60 completely unknown Early Baroque arias, discovered recently by James Gray in the Austrian Library. These short and very pretty arias turned to be an ideal material for our students, who are often students of Conservatories of Music or complete amateurs. 

In 2023, we approachd the very beginning of Italian Baroque Era, Monterverdi's LAMENT DI ARIANNA, together with other vocal and instrumental pieces of that time.

​

​

THE TUTORS & THEIR PHILOSOPHY 

The tutors are the successors of Lajos Samoszi, a Hungarian singer and pedagogue, and his distinctive approach to teaching singing. Our tutors are former students of his children, Heda and Edwin Samoszi, and his faithful assistant, prof. Terezia Blumová. They all dedicated their lives and professional careers to Samoszi's principles of healthy voice management. Today, their most loyal students in various parts of Europe, the USA and Asia continue to teach free, natural singing based on Samoszhi's principles.

Terezie Blumová was his assistant in Budapest before the II World War, and after the war she continued teaching with his method in Prague until her death. She was called a voice doctor and it was known that in many cases she was able to cure nodules on vocal cords with her exercises. She was also known as the only vocal teacher in Prague who could teach counter-tenors. Prof. Blumová trained many excellent soloists working both in the Czech Republic and abroad, but also many excellent singers from the Prague Philharmonic Choir, the Czech and Prague Madrigalists and the Prague Chamber Choir.

Renowned Czech mezzo-soprano and her student, Jana Lewitova, wrote: "The human voice is the resonating exhalation,f breathing is natural, the voice will also be natural and healthy. Prior to World War II, the distinguished Hungarian vocal pedagogue Prof.  Lajos Samoszi collaborated with Mme. Blumová in developing a method which, using simple means such as the restraining of certain muscles that often subconsciously tense (thus impeding freedom in breathing –  and hence singing) helped people to recover the spontaneous and healthy use of their voice. The process is liberating and leads to recovered vocal health because with free breathing, the voice resonates in optimum mode and with no excess pressure. The vibrations that are released are positive for the entire body, and help also to promote psychological well-being."

 

www.janalewitova

www.liberocanto.org

www.scuoladelcanto.com

​

​

THE PARTICIPANTS

The course is open to students of singing and professional singers, as well as amateurs who have an interest in Early Music and in exploring the requisite vocal technique for the Baroque repertoire. Past participants have reported notably enhanced confidence with their singing, and many students have returned. The majority of participants come from the Czech Republic, but there is also a regular group from Ireland as well as singers from Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and as far afield as Hong Kong and USA.