Ran-Arthur Braun. Before turning to directing and during his post-graduate studies - Ran sang, among others, at the Genova Opera House; Carlo Felice; Auditorium Dijon; Opera D'Avignon; Opera Toulouse; Opera Reims; Besançon; Rennes; Versailles; Palais des Beaux-arts; La Sala Costa; Genova; H.D.K. Berlin; Royal Conservatory The Hague; The Jerusalem Academy and The Jerusalem Theater.
Since 2002/3, Ran has worked primarily as a Fight Choreographer / Assistant Stage Director and Stage Manager, as well as achieving directorial credit on a personal level.
Ran studied at the Opera Studio La Monnaie with Keith Warner, Willy Decker and Christof Loy.
His list of credits includes: Teatro Mancineli, Orvieto; Teatro di Cagli; Amsterdam Opera Studio; Wien Kammeroper; Opera Zuid; Dordrecht Festival; I.V.A.I. (workshop run by the New Israeli Opera, N.Y. Metropolitan Opera); Celebration Barn, Maine; La Monnaie Opera Studio; Flanders Opera Studio,Flanders Opera, Abu Gosh Festival; Jerusalem Festival; Reisopera,Teatro Vercelli, Teatro Nuovo – Torino, Jeugdtheaterhofplein – Rotterdam, Teatro Monte Granara, Cami Hall - NY, Hudson River Theater - NY, The Citadel Theater,Theater Compagnie - Amsterdam, The North Netherlands Theater Company, Schouwburg Roosendaal, Bregenzer Festival and Bemus Festival.
Ran was the first Resident Stage director at the Fight Directors Workshop in Maine, USA. He is also the co-ordinator of the first International Fight Directors Workshop in Amsterdam.
Festival editions: August 2004, August 2005.
To enrol for his program, "STAGE COMBAT", please send an e-mail to: rantenor@hotmail.com.
 

Brygida Bziukiewicz.
Festival editions: July 2000, July 2001, July 2002, July 2003, July 2004.
 

Kathryn Hartgrove.
Festival editions: July 2000, July 2001, July 2002, July 2003, July 2004.
 

Cecilia Mieko Hata. Born in Tokyo, Japan, she initially began studying classical dance and traditional Japanese dance. As a child soprano she appeared in the operas “Yuuzuru”, “Carmen” and “ Sogno d’estate”.
During secondary school she developed an interest in singing and began studying at a music school for singing where she received a prize for oriental Japanese singing.
In 1968 she won third prize at the 4th “Italo-Giapponese” competition. She then continued her studies in Italy at the conservatorium “A.Boito” in Parma, where she studied Italian opera and early music under E. Campogalliani. She completed her diploma in 1971 and continued advanced studies at “L’Accademia Virginiana” in Mantova where she specialised in Italian opera and the technical traditions of classical singing.
Ms. Hata has worked with R. Scotto and C. Gallico concentrating on the music from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries. She has also studied with A. Sollegina and E. Furlotti.
In 1976 she founded a duo for voice and guitar with repertoire covering a multitude of styles including Italian music, Japanese song, Spanish song and German Lied. She has appeared as soloist in Japan and has been involved in many performance projects including “Italia in Giappone 2001”.
She is a professor of singing at the University of the Arts in Nagoya and teaches privately in Nagoya and Tokyo. At present she is planning a course for advanced Japanese singers with Italian singers and teachers. In September 2004 she will be artistic director of a course in Urbania, Italy, at the “Centro Studi Italiani Opera Festival” for Japanese and Korean singers on the art of singing in Italian, the course is titled “LINGUA E LIRICA ITALIANA”. E-mail: info@ssdc.info.
Festival edition: September 2004.
To enrol for her program, please send an e-mail to: hm.canto@triton.ocn.ne.jp.
 

Sheila Amit-Luxon.
Festival editions, September 2001, September 2002, September 2003.
 

Daune Mahy, Professor of Singing at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She has appeared frequently with opera companies and orchestras in the Midwest and the East, including Opera Omaha, the Kentucky Opera Association, the St. Louis Municipal Opera, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Akron Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic. She made her New York Recital debut in 1984 at Merkin Concert Hall. Ms. Mahy was the soprano soloist in a nationally syndicated radio broadcast of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem marking the 20th anniversary of that work's first performance, and in 1982 she made a highly acclaimed recital tour of Spain. In 1997 she performed the Oberlin premier of George Walker's 1996 Pulitzer Prize winning composition "Lilacs" for soprano and orchestra. Ms. Mahy has concertized in Germany, France, and Italy. She holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and Indiana University. She is the Director of the Oberlin in Italy Program.
Festival editions: June 2000, June 2001, June 2002, June 2003, June 2004, June 2005.
To enrol for her program "OBERLIN IN ITALY", please send an e-mail to: daune.mahy@oberlin.edu
 

Joan Patenaude-Yarnell.
Festival editions: August 2000, August 2001, August 2002, August 2003.
 

Cinzia Pennesi is renowned for her activity as orchestra and choir conductor, pianist and composer in Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, Romania, Switzerland, Malta and South America. Her expertise as teacher and composer with Sir Neville Marriner in New York has won her a prestigious presence at Carnegie Hall (2001).
She graduated with highest score (first class diploma) in piano, choral music and conduction at ‘F. Morlacchi’ conservatoir of Perugia. She then attended courses and master classes with G. Kuhn and B. Aprea for orchestral direction; G. Acciai, P. Righele for choir conduction; G. Santorsola for composition; J. Demus, A. Lonquich, L. Passacaglia and I. Gage for piano and S. Woodbury for voice studies. She also specialised in composition and analysis with F. Dellipizzi.
In 1993 she founded ‘Orchestra G. Spontini’, which she conducts on a regular basis and with which she recorded numerous CDs and attended prestigious events such as ‘Festival Barocco di Viterbo’ and ‘Stagione della Fondazione Pergolesi’.
The orchestra was ambassador for Italy in the 1996 ‘Cumbre Mundial del Tango’ in Uruguay with bandoneon artist H. U. Passarella. She is Director of ‘Accademia della Libellula-FrauMusika’, focusing on projects of contemporary studies, with a specific angle on women composers. She has been invited to numerous Festivals: ‘Concerti del Tempietto’ in Rome, ‘Amici della Musica’ events all over Italy (Bari, Cosenza, Ancona, etc.), ‘Ente Concerti’ in Pesaro, ‘Cefalonia Festival’ in Greece; and prestigious venues such as ‘Sala Maffeiana’ in Verona, ‘Pergolesi Theatre’ in Jesi, ‘Rossini Theatre’ in Pesaro, ‘Lauro-Rossi Theatre’ in Macerata, ‘Sala Baldini’ in Rome; abroad, ‘Argostoli Theatre’ in Cefalonia (Greece), ‘Marbella Cathedral’ in Spain, ‘Bellinzona Castel’ in Switzerland.
In 1990 Cinzia Pennesi became conductor in residence for ‘Corale Polifonica A. Antonelli’ in Matelica, with which she has been collaborating (concerts, recordings) ever since.
In July 2000 she was commissioned by ‘Macerata Opera’ the re-orchestration of ‘Rappresentazione di Anima et di Corpo’ by Emilio de’ Cavalieri (philological edition completely under her supervision), on the anniversary of its first performance in four hundred years. She has recorded for RAIRADIO-DUE and RAI-INTERNATIONAL, plus KHO. Her collaborations as conductor include ‘Gl’Echi d’Archadia’ orchestra, ‘Florilegio Musicale Barocco’, ‘Orchestra da Camera delle Marche’, ‘Orchestra Sinfonica della Romagna’, ‘Orchestra Sinfonica del Centro Europeo della Musica’, ‘FraMusika’ ensemble, ‘Symphony Orchestra of Solingen’ (Germany). One of her ‘cinematic’ works (‘Il fantasma dell’Opera – The Phantom of the Opera’) has been recently staged at ‘Accademia d’Ungheria – Hungary Academy’ in Rome.
In July 2002 she directed and completely supervised the Italian premiere of ‘La Chatte Metamorphosee en Femme’ (Domenico Carboni Italian adaptation). As a pianist, Cinzia Pennesi is a dedicated performer – together with Laura Pennesi (viola) and Elisabetta Lombardi (mezzosoprano) – of chamber repertoire. They founded in collaboration with Anna Pennesi the research group ‘Accademia della Libellula’. In 1999 she was awarded in Campidoglio (Rome) the ‘Picus del Ver Sacrum’ prize. She also won the ‘Marchigiano dell’anno’ prize.
Since 1995 she is Artistic Director of ‘Piermarini Theatre’ in Matelica; since 1991 of ‘Festival Conosciamo l’Autore’ and the year 2000 marks the start of a collaboration as director of ‘Amici della Musica’ in Fabriano.
Festival edition: September 2005.
 

Maja Schermerhorn - soprano. The Dutch soprano Maja Schermerhorn, completed her studies as an opera and concert singer at the Conservatorium of Maastricht, passing her examinations with honours. She followed master-classes with Hans Hotter, Hermann Reutter and Janine Micheau with whom she continued her studies for some years in Paris. In 1970, she received the second prize in the 'Nationaal Cum Laude Concours' held in Groningen. She performed regularly as a soloist in operas, operettas, oratoria and song recitals both in the Netherlands and other European countries. She also made regular radio and television broadcasts and recorded LPs and CDs. Her extensive repertoire includes not only classical works but also a wide selection of contemporary music. A number of world premieres are attributed to her name. Maja Schermerhorn is a very experienced vocal teacher - as well as giving private lessons, she has taught at a conservatorium and she has adjudicated for several international singing concourses. Besides Dutch, she speaks English, French, German and Italian.
Festival editions: July 2000, August 2001.
 

Stephen Swedish, American pianist, has built an international reputation as an outstanding solo performer and a world-class collaborator and chamber music player. The Los Angeles Times, on the occasion of a recent performance, wrote: "It was aristocratic playing which reminded this listener of the legendary Dinu Lipatti." Stephen Swedish studied at Indiana University, where his major teacher was pianist Menahem Pressler, pianist of the celebrated Beaux Arts Trio. He has served on the artist-faculties of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Universities of Wisconsin and Maryland and others. He has also taught in Europe at the Conservatorio dall'Abaco in Verona, Italy, the International Haydn Festival at the Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria and the Oberlin-in-Italy program in partnership with the Centro Studi Italiani in Urbania, Italy. Stephen Swedish has collaborated with artists such as cellist Janos Starker, violist William Primrose, violinist Josef Gingold, and soprano Eileen Farrell, as well as many others. Dr. Swedish is the pianist of the Kapell Piano Trio, and has performed as soloist with many of the world's great symphony orchestras. He has recorded on the RCA Red Seal, Mercury, and Gasparo record labels.
Festival editions: June 2000, July 2001.

Sebastian Vittucci. Born in New York, he graduated Magna cum Laude from the Eastman School of Music and completed his Masters Degree in Voice at the University of Michigan. At both universities he was nominated for the Pi Kappa Lambda honor society. A Rotary Foundation International Fellowship furthered his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna with Anton Dermota and Gerhard Kahry, receiving his Diploma in Lied and Oratorio. During this time he was the recipient of both a Fulbright Fellowship and a scholarship from the Vienna Ministry of Science and Research. He was trained intensively in the Feldenkrais Method® and received official license as a Practitioner in 1995 by the International Feldenkrais Foundation.
He has performed in all of the major concert halls of Vienna as a soloist with orchestra with many well known conductors (Luciano Berio, Lothar Zagrosek, Erwin Ortner). He has performed and recorded with the "Josef Mertin Early Music Ensemble", and "Klangforum", which have been transmitted by the Austrian Radio (ORF).
He has performed leading roles in various opera productions of Vienna such as Monteverdi`s "Orfeo", and " Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda" , Mozart`s "L'Oca del Cairo", and a world premiere of "Und all seine Mörder" in Vienna's Künstlerhaus.
He made his debut as a soloist at the Salzburg Music Festival in 1985, performing in the opera "St. Francis of Assisi" by Olivier Messiaen, with the composer present. The cast included Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Robert Tear and Kenneth Riegel. This performance has recently been released on CD and was reviewed by the New York Times, in which critic Paul Griffiths wrote "Sebastian Vittucci makes a special, beautiful moment of Brother Bernard's prayer to Francis not to die."
Further CD recordings include the opera "Die Blinden" by Beat Furrer, commissioned by the Vienna State Opera.
In 1995 he sang the Vienna premiere performance of a song cycle by Mauricio Kagel with the composer present at the University of Vienna.
Over the past ten years he has received much recognition as a teacher of singing as several of his students have enjoyed much international success in both opera and musicals. Several of his students have won international vocal competitions.
For six years he served as Head of Vocal Studies at the Conservatory of Vienna (Konservatorium Wien) and in 2003 was appointed University Professor of Voice at the Vienna University for Music and Performing Arts (former Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien). His approach is a unique combination of Bel Canto singing principles combined with specifically designed exercises based on strategies of the Feldenkrais Method®. He developed and taught the course "Feldenkrais for Singers” at the Vienna Conservatory.
Festival editions: February and August 2004, 2005.
To enrlol for his program "VOCE E BEL CANTO" please send an e-mail to: vittucci@utanet.at

ZHANG Xian. She graduated from the Secondary School attached to the Central Conservatory of Music in 1965, and from the Musicology Department of the Conservatory in 1970. She worked at the Music Research Institute of China Art Research Academy from 1973 to 1975. She has been working with the Editorial Department of the magazine People's Music since 1976, successively as editor, Director of Editorial Department, and Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Editor-in-Chief. In 1993 she was offered the position of Editing Supervisor. She has been Member of the Senior Professional Title Evaluation Committee in CFLAC's Publishing Field since 1996.
For nearly 20 years, she has been the chief person responsible for the People's Music, and has handled articles ready for publication which amount to over 20 million Chinese characters. Meanwhile, she wrote and translated many monographs and treatises, the major ones including Collection of World Famous Opera Stories (translated in cooperation with Chen Fujin), "Life and Career of Mussorgsky", "Chopin and His Piano Art", "The New Explanation of Debussy's Piano Music ? On Jean-Louis Haguenauer's Piano Recital", "Approaching Besancon", "Conductor Zheng Xiaoying", "How to Appreciate Music", and also completed several entries in the Dictionary of Literary and Art Appreciation and the Dictionary of Modern Music Appreciation.
Since 1998, she has been responsible for CMA's periodicals and foreign affairs. As far as the foreign affair is concerned, she has planned and organized such important international music events as the Besancon International Young Conductors' Competition Preliminary Round in Beijing and the Beijing Golden Autumn International Music Festival. She is now Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Musicians' Association.
In August 2004 she will be artistic director of a course in Urbania at the “Centro Studi Italiani Opera Festival” for Chinese Opera Singers. The title of the program is “LIRICA ITALIANA PER LA CINA”.
Festival editions: August 2004, July 2005.
To enrol for her program, please send an e-mail to: cma_amc@sina.com.