Opera Now Highlights Curtis' Voice and Opera Department

The below is excerpted from Opera Now’s recent feature on Curtis’ voice and opera department by editor Hattie Butterworth. Read on for a preview of Butterworth’s campus visit recap—and her discussion with department director Miloš Repický on the school’s distinctive pedagogy.
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Weaving around the 19th-century mansions of Curtis between the practice rooms overlooking the leafy square to the Tardis of a costume shop, it’s clear the school offers a unique gift. There’s a sense of heritage and tradition with a dedication to the new. The Field Concert Hall is one such example, with its traditional wooden panelling also housing state-of-the-art audio and video recording facilities.

When auditioning the singers for the Curtis cohort, it appears that Repicky has a more holistic view on auditioning than I may have expected. “You don’t get a spot in this department because you’ve done something better than anybody else,’ he says thoughtfully. ‘You get a spot in this department because there’s something about you where it’s clear you have something to say. You have something to contribute to this art form, and it’s what you actually want to do.”

“Potential is a really weird thing, right?” Repicky asserts. “Talent is: Do you impress me? Do you move me? Are you interesting, but kind of quirky? And can we work with that? It’s really subjective.”

Curious to learn more? Read the full article online, and check out the digital version of Opera Now’s winter 2025 issue.