Introduction
The California State University, Northridge Opera Theater enjoys a long-standing reputation as one of the finest university opera programs in the U. S. Since 1998 the CSUN Opera Theater has been under the direction of David Aks who has continued the traditions of excellence established during the 30 years of leadership by Dr. David Scott. Under Professor Aks' direction, the CSUN Opera Theater has expanded its repertoire into new areas, as well as original language productions.
Opera study at CSUN includes classes in studio voice, diction, repertoire, performance techniques, opera scenes, Alexander Technique and full productions. These courses, combined with CSUN's excellent musicianship classes, produce performers who are musically advanced, vocally healthy, physically and emotionally centered and skilled at a naturalistic style of acting that is the hallmark of CSUN's opera productions.
Graduates of the CSUN Opera Theater have gone on to major national and international careers. Prominent alumni include soprano Carol Vaness, mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung, tenor Beau Palmer and soprano Sarah Joy Heerema, who recently appeared as Mimi in Baz Luhrmann's Broadway production of La Boheme. CSUN opera students have gone on to study at such institutions as Juilliard, University of Southern California, Boston University and the San Francisco Conservatory.
CSUN is proud to be the summer home of the internationally-acclaimed training program OperaWorks, under the direction of Ann Baltz.