Giving voice to opera’s future

Stay tuned for announcements about our upcoming 2025-26 Opera Season!

The mission of the Academy of Vocal Arts is to be the world’s premier institution for training young artists to become international opera soloists.
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AVA's Significance to the Opera World

The Academy of Vocal Arts aims to stand as the world’s foremost institution for training young artists as global opera soloists. Through rigorous instruction, coaching, and showcasing Resident Artists in various performances, AVA cultivates artists with high career potential, while enhancing lives in Philadelphia and beyond.

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Resident Artist Profile

Katherine Dobbs

mezzo-soprano · First year


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Alumni Profile

Hannah Ludwig

mezzo-soprano ’18 · Sacramento, California

Hannah Ludwig’s approach to Handel was much more text driven. She has a voice of great beauty, but isn’t afraid to produce harsh, at times growling sounds, to elicit drama. They were employed to great effect in both ‘But who may abide the day of his coming’ and hurling out the words ‘shame and spitting’ in an impassioned ‘He was despised’

New York Classical Review (2023)

Opera Outreach Program: Preparing the Audiences of Tomorrow!

Opera Outreach, AVA’s educational program, gives middle and high school students the opportunity to learn about all aspects of opera through comprehensive study guides, followed by live performances of the opera they studied. After each opera performance, students are able to interact with the performers in lively question-and-answer sessions.

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