Atelier Lyrique de Dordogne
Intensive training and French repertoire immersion for singers, in the beautiful historic region of Dordogne, France.
19 July - 26 July, 2025
The Atelier is designed for singers looking to spend an intensive week, narrowing in on specific vocal, musical and linguistic goals, and to have their most important questions answered, thoroughly.
The program is intimate - just 7 participants and 4 faculty will work together, in a beautiful villa, located in the middle of the Dordogne wine region. The teachers don’t just drop in for a "showy" masterclass, but rather for intensive work and mentoring throughout the entire week. They want you to succeed and will help you try new repertoire, new techniques, conquer your fears related to singing in the French language and help you become the singer you want to be.
The schedule consists of private voice lessons and repertoire coaching, group workshops, French diction coaching, French language classes, yoga and mindfulness. For those who still have energy left, there will be immersive cultural activities in the region.
The week will culminate in a public soirée and also a day dedicated to making professional video recordings, for any singers interested in producing high quality, artistically polished materials for applications, competitions, self-promotion, etc.
It is difficult to put into words just how phenomenal of a vocal instructor Chelsea is! Her expert knowledge of singing technique paired with her ability as a communicator creates the perfect environment of safety and support in which to thrive and take your voice to the next level. I cannot recommend her highly enough!
-Emalie Savoy, Soprano
Location and Housing
Nestled in the heart of southwestern France, the Dordogne region is renowned for its stunning countryside, medieval villages, and rich cultural history. Known locally as Périgord, it offers a peaceful and inspiring backdrop for the Atelier Lyrique. With its rolling hills, picturesque vineyards, and charming towns, the Dordogne provides an environment that is as soothing as it is stimulating, making it the perfect place to focus on refining technique and artistry.
All the participants will stay at Maison Franck, each with their own private bedroom. There is a pool and plenty of space to spread out. Most of the training (and relaxing) activities will take place at Maison Franck.
To ensure sufficient possibility for warming up and own study, there will be a few keyboards and pianos in various rooms around the villa.
Vitali Rozynko
Voice Teacher
Ukrainian-American baritone Vitali Rozynko has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Concertgebouw, Tanglewood Festival, and Wigmore Hall. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, and the Royal Academy of Music, London, he has worked under legendary conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Colin Davis, Vladimir Jurowski, and Richard Hickox.
Vitali’s operatic credits include Escamillo (Carmen) at L’Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Don Giovanni at Opera Colorado, and other leading roles at Santa Fe Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Nederlandse Reisopera. He made a striking debut at the Dutch National Opera in Christof Loy’s Khovanshchina, earning praise for his “outstanding and orotund voice.”
On the concert stage, he has performed as a soloist in Carmina Burana, Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Bach’s Matthäus Passion across Brussels, Amsterdam, and Krakow. His recording of Handel’s Samson with Dunedin Consort was televised live and released on the Linn Label. Vitali appears on a new award winning recording of Pepusch Anthems. This season, Vitali sings “Serenade op. 24” by Schönberg with the New European Ensemble, which tours the Netherlands.
He also maintains a busy teaching studio based in The Hague, and teaches at the Dutch National Opera Academy. Vitali’s students sing in all of the major opera houses, worldwide. He has worked as Vocal Consultant on various commercial recordings, and recently directed a staged version of Berlioz’s La mort de Cleopatre at the Royal Museum, Antwerp.
Chelsea Bonagura
Voice Teacher
Lauded for her “soaring dramatic soprano” and described as “a star in the making” (Classical Voice North Carolina), Italian-American soprano Chelsea Bonagura enchants audiences with her “gorgeous sound” and “parallel mixture of tenderness and fire” (The Roanoke Times). She has performed on many prestigious US stages including New York City Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera Roanoke and regular concert appearances at Carnegie Hall. Since moving to the Netherlands, Chelsea has performed regularly with Opera Zuid including the roles of Madame Herz (Der Schauspieldirektor), Lucilla (La Scala di Seta) and Sofia (Il Signor Bruschino).
Chelsea is a teaching protégé of famed soprano Diana Soviero, quickly gaining an international reputation as a premiere voice teacher and vocal technician, specializing in the bel canto tradition. As a guest teacher, she has taught at many conservatories and Young Artist Programs including Mannes School of Music, Florida Grand Opera, Rice University, University of Texas San Antonio and the Dutch National Opera.
Chelsea maintains active private studios in New York City, Amsterdam and Firenze, catering to singers of a wide array of disciplines, including opera, classical, musical theatre, and contemporary styles. Her students perform at leading international opera houses and concert halls including the Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera House, Dutch National Opera, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Concertgebouw, and the Metropolitan Opera.
Chelsea maintains active private studios in New York City, Amsterdam and Firenze, catering to singers of a wide array of disciplines, including opera, classical, musical theatre, and contemporary styles. Her students perform at leading international opera houses and concert halls including the Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera House, Dutch National Opera, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Concertgebouw, and the Metropolitan Opera.
Lochlan Brown
Conductor and Opera Coach
Australian conductor, pianist and composer, Lochlan Brown is known for his progressive methods, stylistic versatility and multidisciplinary skills, creating exciting pieces of theater like the Dutch National Opera’s highly acclaimed “Lennox” - a unique collaboration of opera, hip-hop and spoken word. His recent conducting highlights also include “Candide” at the Lithuanian National Opera, a world premiere “Anansi” at the Dutch National Opera and “La Traviata” at Alden Biesen Zomeropera.
Lochlan has worked on the music staff of international award-winning productions such as “Bluebeard's Castle” (Opera of the Year, 2024), “Animal Farm” (Best World Premiere, 2023) and “Lady in the Dark” (Opera of the Year, 2022).
After many years studying opera and orchestral conducting at Mannes in New York City, Lochlan moved to Rome where he worked for two seasons at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. He now spends most of his time in the Netherlands as a guest conductor and vocal coach at the Dutch National Opera, the Netherlands Reisopera and Opera Zuid, but also enjoys diverse projects throughout the US and Australia.
Barbara Kits
French Language Coach
Barbara Kits is a French repertoire coach and classical singer with an international background. Raised bilingually in France, she has developed a keen understanding of phonetics and linguistic nuances in the French language.
Barbara holds a Master's degree from Mannes College in New York City and a Bachelor's degree from the Conservatorium of Amsterdam. She won first prize at the Vienne-en-voix competition in Vivonne and was a finalist in the "Mélodies Françaises" category at the International Competition Les Nuits Lyriques in Marmande.
As a solo artist, Barbara recently performed the lead role in the world premiere of the new French opera Machiavella in Montreal, portrayed Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte at the Opéra de Toulon, and stepped in for the Révélations des Victoires de la Musique Classique concert at Les Invalides in Paris, broadcast on Radio Classique.
During her time in New York, Barbara nurtured her passion for French mélodies, studying with Cristina Stanescu and Glenn Morton. She gained insights into the teachings of Michel Sénéchal, Pierre Bernac and Thomas Grubb, expanding her knowledge of French musical traditions.
Over the years, Barbara has created a set of practical linguistic, prosodic, and literary tools for singers, emphasizing straightforward exercises to help artists build technical automatisms and achieve greater freedom in their performances. Her skills as a French language coach have been sought after for opera productions, including Werther at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus in 2023 and Les Contes d'Hoffmann at the Zurich Opera House in 2021. She has worked with singers such as Jonathan Tetelman, Kate Lindsey, Lilian Farahani, Katrina Galka, Eva Kroon, and Anna Dowsley, helping them prepare for role debuts and recordings.
Fees
€ 790 Atelier Lyrique Tuition and Activities
€ 375 Accommodation at Maison Franck
VAT-exempt Association. The listed prices are total.
Meals/catering not provided, except for events.