Opera al Mare 

An Operatic Artist Training Program

A Project of Opera Vermont

Study and perform Opera by the Adriatic Sea

On the coast of the Adriatic, Cesenatico offers immersion in authentic Italian culture, far from tourist crowds. This seaside jewel is known for its Porto Canale, which was designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

The Cesenatico Municipal Theatre is where Opera al Mare has made its summer home, in collaboration with the town of Cesenatico.

If you desire to grow in your understanding of the Italian language and culture, expand your personal repertoire, learn and perform a full-operatic role in the canon, and work with world-class faculty, this is the young artist’s program for you.

Public Performances 2025

We are delighted to invite the public to Cesenatico for many public performances throughout the town from June 29- July 4, 2025. None of these events are ticketed, but a free-will donation will be taken to offset the cost of production!

  • The faculty of Opera al Mare perform arias, duets, and ensembles from well-loved operatic favorites including La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, and many others.

  • The trilogy of one-act operas by one of the beloved masters of Italian opera, Giacomo Puccini. Each opera lasts about 50 minutes, and will have an extended break in-between each opera, so audience can spend the evening at the theatre, or see one ore two operas.

    Suor Angelica - A nun in a convent has a visit from her imposing aunt, who delivers the worst news imaginable, and has to decide how to deal with the fallout.

    Gianni Schicchi - A family with more money than sense awaits the death of the patriarch to receive their inheritence. Unfortunately for them, the patriarch had donated the entire estate to the church. The family enlists the help of the clever Gianni Schicchi to get them out of the mess.

    Il Tabarro - Giorgietta, the wife of boat-owner Michele, is tired of the mundane life of shipping. She begins a clandestine affair with one of Michele’s workers, Luigi, which leads Michele to resort to desperate measures to recover his life and wife.

    ALL OPERAS WILL BE FREE AND GENERAL ADMISSION

  • All participants, student and faculty, perform pieces from the operatic repertory spanning from the baroque to the contemporary! Francesco Ricci, Elaine Smith-Purcell, and Francesco Triossi accompany this concert under the stars.

  • Closing the program, the participants and faculty present their favorite American music to coincide with the national holiday of July 4th.

The Artists of 2024

Hear about Opera al Mare in their own words

The Artists of 2023