The Centenary College Hurley School of Music proudly hosted Spotlight on Opera, an artistic entrepreneurship program for aspiring singers, on our campus during the summer break. Spotlight on Opera provides a great opportunity for our Hurley students, with valuable opportunities to extend their training, fulfill their career credit requirement, and put more roles on their resumes. In partnership with the Housing Department, Spotlight offers full tuition and housing scholarships to up to four Centenary students. The new scholarship competition was inaugurated in 2019 and is designed to allow incoming, current, or recently graduated Centenary students to attend the professional development program. Centenary recipients receiving the prestigious scholarship for 2019 were Zipphora Hyman, Carlos Romero, Victoria Sundin, and Sierra Worman. In addition to the training and performance opportunity for our students, Spotlight also offers a June-July season of concerts and staged productions which were free to Centenary students, faculty, and staff.
On July 28, Spotlight on Opera’s distinguished faculty, guests, and students came together to present a grand finale for the 2019 summer season with a concert version of Giuseppe Verdi’s Egyptian-themed masterpiece, Aida. Proceeds from the benefit concert helped Spotlight continue its tradition of excellent training for young artists and intimate opera for the community.
Cindy Sadler, former artist-in-residence at Centenary’s Hurley School of Music, founded Spotlight on Opera in 2007 as a one-week summer program. It has since grown into an independent non-profit organization, attracting students from all over the United States and several foreign countries. More information on the program is available at SpotlightOnOpera.com.
“Spotlight on Opera’s inaugural year on the beautiful Centenary campus was a huge success,” says Sadler. “Spotlight and Hurley are really a match made in heaven as far as we are concerned. Having been on faculty as artist-in-residence and director of the Singers’ Workshop for the past two years, I have seen firsthand the quality of student who chooses the Hurley School of Music for their all-important undergraduate education. As executive director of Spotlight, I know these are the types of student who will excel in our program as well.”
“Centenary’s Hurley School of Music is fortunate to host Spotlight on Opera, which offers an exemplary breadth and depth of training to vocal artists,” says Dr. Cory Wikan, acting dean of the Hurley School. “The scholarships make it possible for Hurley students to maximize their educational experience on Centenary’s campus. I’m so pleased that our students have the opportunity to refine their skills, develop an understanding of the performing business, and expand their resumes through Spotlight.”
The Spotlight on Opera summer scholarships are worth $9,600 each and are sponsored by Spotlight on Opera in partnership with the Hurley School of Music and Centenary College.