A three-hour drive from New York City, Binghamton, N.Y., boasts more than just being the carousel capital of the world. It is also home to Binghamton University, the top-ranked university in the State University of New York system, and Tri-Cities Opera. The shared hometown location of these two organizations has proved a fortuitous phenomenon for classical singers.
In 1979, Binghamton University (then SUNY Binghamton) formed an agreement with Tri-Cities Opera to offer a master of music with emphasis in opera degree.
Likely the very first of its kind in the country, the program is still going strong today. Students enroll in the MM opera program at Binghamton, and receive practical training at Tri-Cities Opera through the company’s Resident Artist Training Program.
“I did my undergrad in Boston and then wasn’t really sure if I wanted to go to grad school or try my hand at auditions and a residency program,” says recent Binghamton graduate Nili Riemer. “I stumbled across the program that joined Tri-Cities and the degree at Binghamton. It was appealing to me because it was the best of both worlds.”
“The RATP has between 20 and 30 singers in a given season,” explains Reed W. Smith, Tri-Cities Opera executive director. “It is a mix of degree candidates, singers with graduate degrees from Binghamton University and other institutions, and singers who are not interested in pursuing an advanced degree.”
Almost all MM opera students receive an assistantship or a fellowship, which covers tuition and fees, and provides a stipend. “As part of the assistantship I got to teach private lessons, anywhere from four to nine students,” says recent Binghamton graduate and resident artist Julia Ebner. “I also taught voice class, which is an undergrad class of 25 students. Everyone also had duties to house-manage performances and work with other faculty—things like get coffee and photocopy.”
“I was accepted without an assistantship,” says Riemer, “but after the first semester, one became available.”
In addition to the assistantships and stipends awarded by Binghamton University, Tri-Cities Opera pays all artists for their roles in professional productions, and for performing in the outreach shows. TCO produces extensive outreach programs, but master’s candidates usually don’t participate in the outreach shows. (MM opera students attend classes at the university during the morning, which conflicts directly with the outreach schedule.) Singers who are participating in the RATP but not pursuing advanced degrees at Binghamton pay modest fees for workshop classes and private lessons. They are also eligible to receive scholarship awards to help cover these costs. TCO awards more than $14,000 annually in scholarships.
The roles Tri-Cities makes available to MM opera students are required for degree completion. “In order to receive the MM opera degree, singers must perform in roles in TCO’s professional productions. [Requirements] consist of one ‘A’ role, two ‘B’ roles, or three ‘C’ roles,” says Smith.
“I was an understudy for Marie in the Daughter of the Regiment, and I actually got a chance to perform that role. Then I went on to sing Monica in the The Medium, and my second year, I sang Lucia and the Queen of the Night,” says Riemer. “They’re very good about casting their resident artists.”
“We try to cast all of our productions from members of the RATP,” adds Smith. “Another unique aspect of our RATP is that singers at all stages of development are welcome to remain in the program for various lengths of time. Most often, singers remain with TCO for a while after completion of the MM opera degree.”
Recent graduate Julia Ebner has decided to stay on, in fact, as a non-degree-seeking resident artist. “We’re doing ‘Bohème’ in the fall, and I’ll be singing Musetta.”
Besides singing a role, staying at RATP offers other advantages, explains Ebner. “A lot of us are at the strange in-between time where we’re not old enough for the bigger Young Artist Programs and we’re certainly not old enough to be having real careers, but we’re done with school. Tri-Cities is a great place to come if you need a little more time before you go out there to compete.”
Riemer, on the other hand, is moving on to other programs. “I’m at Chautauqua this summer. I’m about to begin a full-year residency at Minnesota Opera.” She credits Tri-Cities and Binghamton for her current success. “I know they were the ones who really prepared me and helped me get into these programs.”
And what about the close vicinity to New York City?
“The biggest advantage for going there was being close to New York City,” says Riemer. “Two bus lines run at least six runs a day and it takes exactly three hours. Pretty much all through November and December, I was going back and forth and staying at friends’ houses and apartments in the city, without having to live in New York and pay New York City rents. So the audition season was pretty easy.”
Binghamton may be known for its record-setting six wooden carousels, but Binghamton University and Tri-Cities Opera aren’t taking singers for a ride. Rather, alumni are riding high, thanks to the first-class education, variety of performing experiences, and financial assistance offered by these two organizations.
For more information visit tricitiesopera.com or e-mail Reed Smith at reed@tricitiesopera.com.
