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Twelve ������Ƶ students and three Eastern Kentucky University students joined the professional chorus to perform the opera “La Traviata” in Florence, Italy.

The group was invited to perform alongside the professional chorus at Saint Mark’s Opera Company on June 19 and 20 and gave a performance at Murate Piazza on June 26. “It was amazing performing with professional opera singers because even though many of us had little to no experience singing opera, we were treated with so much respect from everyone in the company,” said Megan O’Reilly ’21, one of the ������Ƶ performers. 

The students are members of the , a partnership between ������Ƶ and . This unique course has been in the works for eight years. Its inaugural cohort is taught by Polly Cornelius, senior lecturer in music at ������Ƶ, and Maestro Cristiano Manzoni, pianist at Luigi Cherubini Conservatory and Accademia Europea di Firenze.

The program provides an unmatched opportunity for performing arts students. “It’s an opportunity to work with world-class musicians in world-class settings and add real value to your body of work and portfolio,” said Bill Burress, associate director of study abroad at ������Ƶ.

In addition to high-caliber instruction and professional performances, the program includes Italian language and art history course options, including Italian diction training.

“I’ve learned so much from the wonderful faculty at [Accademia Europea di Firenze],” said O’Reilly. “Their amity and warmth influence me to be a better person every single day. Professionally, they helped me realize my potential as a performer. I’ve started thinking about incorporating performance into my career path. I know I want to study abroad here for an entire semester because everyone here has quite literally changed my life.”

The program broadens the faculty-exchange partnership between ������Ƶ and Accademia Europea di Firenze. It also deepens the special relationship between ������Ƶ and Accademia Europea di Firenze, as ������Ƶ is school of record for Accademia Europea di Firenze, and Accademia Europea di Firenze hosts .

If the inaugural cohort is any indication, the program will continue to nurture outstanding talent into compelling, professional voices.