BAREFOOT OPERA NON-RESIDENTIAL SUMMER COURSE

AUGUST 3-8 2026
Telegraph Hill Centre and the Barefoot Studio, SE4

The classical singer as stage creature :  developing stage-craft through opera scenes

Descartes described the human body as a ‘soft machine’.  As singers, we know this to be true on one level, but the machine analogy very quickly becomes inadequate. How can we find working methods that genuinely connect the machine to our sense of self, and allow both vocal competence and dramatic artistry to flourish?  This year’s intensive summer course for serious singers will focus on creating opera scenes to deliver individual learning and progress.

About the Course
Guided by our expert team of professional singers, movement specialists and coaches, our six- day Intensive Course offers enjoyable group workshops in responsive breath work, physical theatre techniques, drama exercises and somatic movement practice – as well as solo opportunities in varied masterclasses.

Each day begins with Barefoot’s signature Body Voice and Movement group workshop, and includes a solo masterclass with a voice tutor or coach, and either a movement or drama workshop.

Singers are invited to bring at least two pieces of their own choice to work on throughout the course, and will participate in opera scenes to be prepared during the week and performed on the final day.

You can expect :

• Exercises to free your sense of your body in space and action  
• Generous individual time in masterclasses 
• Detailed acting classes and text work
• Co-creation of opera scenes with your group- with expert direction
• Individual feedback and consultation

How will it benefit you?

• Your whole body will feel more comfortable
• Your breathing will feel more sustainable
• Your tone quality will improve
• Your on-stage characterisation will have more flow and authenticity

Themes of the week 

• ‘Theatre work for singers’ – matching your work to directors’ expectations
• ‘Relaxation and effort’  – what is the balance?
• ‘Creative play’  – liberating imagination and voice
• Aligning body and voice with dramatic intention

About Barefoot Opera

Barefoot Opera aims to help you find your classical voice by offering experiential exercises that support traditional bel canto work.

“Responsive breath”, reaction and action, is the keystone of Barefoot’s work, refining and evolving into singing and the operatic tradition.  

Re-aligning ourselves to well-balanced, fully functional body, breath, movement and sound, we reconnect with basic human responses: laughing, sighing, calling – the elemental tone qualities that signal our human interaction with our environment. We explore how to link those responses with the sophistication of classical sound.

How to apply

Our course is for advanced, serious students of voice, whether they are following a professional journey or not. Participants will be selected by cv and a simple live recording/phone clip, and your successful placement will be confirmed by May 1^st 2026 (see below). Applications are open from November 1^st 2025.

Cost:  £650   
6 day course, with a simple healthy lunch, refreshments

Early bird: bookings  by April 1  £625
Pay in full by May 1 to secure a place. If you wish to organise payment in installments please contact us to arrange this (info@barefootopera.com)

What our past students say;

“It was exciting and hugely enjoyable to work with so many good singers and experienced tutors”

“I’ve enjoyed it enormously and learned a lot. …tryly a joy to work with such an amazing group of people, tutors and singers…”

“Thank you!! This has been an overwhelmingly positive experience I will never forget”

“Thank you for hosting/organising everything. I leanted a lot, met a lot of good and telented people, had a lot of fun.”

“loved beginning the day with group movment and then introducing vocal responses to the movement. Enjoyed the days where we weaved from coaching into group sessions-liked working with each coach and getting different points of view”

“I like the premise of BF  body awareness in acting particularly”

“I liked the days we worked towrds performance as we achieved so much, esp. ensemble work,key to Barefoot Opera ethos”

Cosi Fan Tutte? Ensemble Performance Advanced course

Tuesday April 7 – Tuesday April 14 2026 with additional performance dates

An outstanding opportunity for advanced singers to learn a significant repertoire role, to develop freedom of movement, sound and conviction as performers, and to perform in an established London venue.

Over six days we will create a Cosi Fan Tutte? course in which two casts play the opera together, alternating and sharing in taking solo scenes in physical theatre style. Both casts are on-stage to combine to create the crazy world of identity crisis that is at the heart of Da Ponte and Mozart’s problem piece. We keep the emphasis on All people are like that, and create a shifting landscape where each performer can be a table leg, an interloper or a named character at any given moment, and swop a top hat for a blonde wig, or a moustache for a garter belt. On the seventh day the fully-staged performance will be performed for a small paying audience, sung in Italian and condensed into two 50 minute halves.

The course includes:
Daily Barefoot Opera group ‘body voice and movement’ work, and rehearsals to develop the production. Individual coaching throughout the week on arias, voice and movement.

Based in South London within walking distance from Brockley station, the course is directed by Jenny Miller, with experienced opera coach and conductor Lesley-Anne Sammons as Musical Director.

Vocal coaching will be provided by both Jenny and Penelope Randall-Davis, and vocal and musical guidance will be offered by our two Glyndebourne and Jette-Parker coaches Nicolas Bosworth and Satoshi Kubo.

Alexandra Baybutt is our movement coach for the course.

There will be additional performances at:
– Battle Festival: Sunday July 12^th : four days’ revival rehearsals in St Leonards Tues July 8^th –  Saturday July 11 at no extra cost to participants. See below.
– Grimeborne Festival, Arcola Theatre, London :  July 20-25 get-in Monday, four performances Tues July 21, Wed July 22, Friday July 24 ,Sat July 25)
– A venue in St Leonards (Friday 4^th Sept tbc).

Course fee: £675

Includes:  a simple lunch, and all tuition in London.

Cost of return travel London-St Leonards, accommodation and meals for the July rehearsals for Battle, and the September St Leonard’s performance.

Audition: by video clip latest date:   Monday December 15^th 2025
Apply and submit your audition through the APPLY NOW button.
Final auditions: live in South East London Sunday Jan 11^th 2pm -6pm
Casting confirmed Wednesday January 15^th 2026.

Please read this information carefully:

1. On successful audition, performers must confirm participation within one week, and then pay the full amount on the Barefoot Opera website. (If this is financially difficult please contact info@barefootopera and we can discuss other possible arrangements. )
2. The fee is non refundable, and performers wishing to withdraw will be required to find an acceptable replacement. (Barefoot Opera management will do their best to help).
3. The successful candidates must undertake to completely memorise and prepare their role in advance of Tuesday April 7^th 2026

Informal Workshops Autumn ‘25/Spring ‘26

This academic year we offer a range of informal workshops led by different members of our team – read below for details.

Vocal workshops at the Barefoot Studio once a month on a Tuesday and Thursday, as well as a couple of special movement workshops with Alexandra Baybutt and Evelyn Freebury:

Jenny Miller and Satoshi Kubo: Tuesday evenings 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm:
October 7, November 18,  January 6^th (’26) and February 3^rd (’26)

Penelope Randall Davis, Nicholas Bosworth: Thursday evenings 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
October 23, November 27^th, January 22^nd (’26) February 19 (’26) March 19 (’26)

Alexandra Baybutt: Body as Basis – Movement to enrich singing
Wednesday November 5^th 7pm – 9 pm

Evelyn Freebury and Jenny Miller: Body, Breath, Voice
Friday November 14th     7pm – 9 pm

Location: 93 Endwell Road London SE4 2NF – Maximum 6 participants per session

Cost: £30 per workshop

(book with pre-payment online, cancellation fee accepted up to 48 hrs before)

More information:

Vocal workshops

We start with a group exercise session, followed by a solo spot of 20-30 minutes duration. Your own choice of repertoire is supported by one of our outstanding coaches, and the active engagement of the whole group.  Please wear comfortable clothing and expect to go barefoot or in socks. Please let us know in advance of your choice of repertoire, and bring a copy for the accompanist.

Movement workshops: In these workshops group work in movement will be the dominant activity, but singing and sounds will be part of the experience. Clothing for movement is required.

What is special about Barefoot Opera’s integrated training?

Barefoot Opera’s tutors positively enable and support the work that singers are already engaged in, whilst offering fresh insights into the skills of classical singing and integrated movement.

Since we believe that real artistry and satisfaction in our art form is only found by engaging our whole self in the process, we work with the whole body /person in every sense.  We firmly believe that a deeper understanding of how your body and breath work in movement will significantly develop your understanding of your voice, and to this end we have been creating a unique body of work for over fifteen years with our movement specialists.

Barefoot Opera invites you to rethink and deconstruct: to strip opera down to the basics of body, breath, movement, sound. We help you to access what you already have: the tools and resources to improve your whole experience of singing and performing. See the video below to sample our unique offer.

Our training exercises enable you to develop an energised, physical, ensemble approach – key to facilitating the demands of contemporary directors.