Cosi Fan Tutte: Advanced Performance Course

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

A unique 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: December 31^st 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 Workshop Spring ‘26

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

Vocal Workshop with Jenny Miller and Nicholas Bosworth: Tuesday March 31st, 7pm – 9pm

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.