To vocal junior Ailey Tetrault, it’s “doing what she loves.” To vocal senior Sage Duke, it’s a way to connect with her voice in its “truest form.” To vocal junior Liam Diamond, it’s “freedom to express himself.” To vocal senior Lara Miranda, it’s an inside look at what will be her college experience.

Palm Beach Opera Studio, started in 2007, provides an “opera bootcamp” for local students. Running most Saturdays from September to March, the program offers the equivalent of a semester-long college-level music course free of charge. 

Jennifer Wilson is the education manager and studio director at PBO, but she’s also a self-described “opera nerd.” In her role at the Studio, she acts as the primary communicator with participants and families, schedules and prepares for the classes, writes letters of recommendation, and teaches masterclasses as well as general lessons. 

“It is the most wonderful experience getting to be a mentor for these students as they bridge that gap from high school to college,” Ms. Wilson said. “It’s a very challenging time. You don’t know what you’re going to do with your life, and there’s a lot of pressure. Getting to be able to take some of that pressure off for them makes me feel good as an educator to see that I have supported them and helped them feel a little less stressed.”

In order to become a Studio member, students undergo an application process including a vocal prescreening and live audition. The prescreen calls for two video recordings of contrasting pieces. If selected for the live audition, students will be tested not only on their vocal talent, but also on their ability to take feedback and their experience with languages (operas can be in any language, but Ms. Wilson noted they often feature Italian, French, and German, to name a few).  

“ I think they look for people that are committed (and) that are willing to put up with the challenges and the struggles,” first-year Studio participant Diamond said. “Going from choral singing to operatic singing is very different. You’re working on purely yourself as opposed to blending and having good technique with a choir.”

If they get the gig, Studio members gain access to PBO’s professional rehearsals, two tickets to each mainstage production, and senior benefits such as recording sessions and headshots for college applications. They also earn two private vocal lessons a month with the critically acclaimed vocalist Dorothy Gall, praised by opera publication Schmopera for her “piercing, yet crystalline instrument.” 

Second-year Studio participant Miranda, who plans on pursuing opera performance in college, said she particularly enjoys having the chance to meet Apprentice Artists (recent music school graduates also training at PBO).

“Getting to hear from them about what awaits is kind of taking a weight off of my shoulders because doing music or any sort of art is like jumping into the unknown head first and blind,” Miranda said. “I feel more secure in my decision to pursue music after having met so many people that are successful and are doing well and knowing that could be me.”

The courseload for the Studio ranges from hand-to-hand stage combat to diction to acting, all alongside masterclasses where students go up and “put a piece on its feet,” as Wilson described. While Wilson’s favorite class to teach is Opera History, Miranda said the vocal pedagogy lesson (focused on the practice of teaching singing) stood out both years. 

“ People don’t realize how much we actually have to think to sing,” Miranda said. “Singing is not just opening your mouth. You have to think about how you breathe. You have to think about what you’re gonna eat before you’re (going to) sing. You have to think about how you’re going to shape your lips to form a word…. Being able to be in a room full of other people that want to learn about the voice and support each other and uplift each other is just so wonderful.”

Opera’s theatrical elements, use of dialogue to tell a story, and reliance on resonance rather than microphones to amplify the voice distinguish it from other forms of singing. First-year Studio member Duke said she gets to “find individuality” when singing in the style of jazz, but that opera offers her a chance to “harness” her voice in a new way.

“A lot of times, you have singing where you have amplification through a microphone, but when we go back to the Renaissance or the earliest days of opera, they didn’t have these amplification methods,” Duke said. “So learning opera really is a true way to connect with your inner voice and also find your technique.”

Vocal senior Jason Robins, vocal junior Lila Fuchs, and vocal sophomore Harrison Poulakakos are also part of the 12-person 2025-2026 Studio Roster, but the program is open to students from all schools. This year’s roster also includes students from Martin County High School, Spanish River High School, West Boca High School, Park Vista High School, and South Fork High School. 

“They’re getting a new network of friends,” Wilson said. “They really come to get to know their studio class well during the year. This can be a larger network of people for them to get to hang out with and go see shows with. (People) that want to geek out with you on something musical. That’s awesome to get to meet students from all over Palm Beach County and beyond that like the same things you do… instant friendships and connections. It’s fun when you find your people.”

The students will cap off the Studio experience with a final recital March 31, where each member will perform one solo and one duet with another student. First year-participant Tetrault said the Studio experience has helped her to “trust herself more” as an artist. 

“ It’s so important to me because this is my drive,” Tetrault said. “I have my friends, I have my social life and everything, but just knowing that I know what I want to do really makes an impact because I can put all my energy and everything towards it.”