About Verona 2026

Verona

Verona has long been a city where music holds a central place in daily life. During the Renaissance, it became one of Italy’s most significant cultural centers. This period saw the founding of the Accademia Filarmonica di Verona, often cited as the oldest musical academy in Europe, and a meeting point for composers, scholars, and performers interested in shaping Italy’s developing musical language. The city’s churches and civic halls still hold traces of that early artistic exchange, not in a museum-like way, but in how performances continue to be programmed and understood. Music here is not treated as a distant artifact. It is something that belongs to the living present.

Verona is also known around the world for the Arena Opera Festival, which begins each June and draws thousands of visitors every season. Hearing opera in the Roman Arena has a particular atmosphere that is difficult to describe until you have been there in person, and you will have the opportunity as part of our program. The scale is large, yes, but what stands out is the sense of shared anticipation. Performances here are not only grand productions. They are also reminders that Verona’s musical identity has been shaped by centuries of artists and audiences who believed that music is something to be experienced together.

For more information, visit https://www.visitverona.it/en/explore/the-city-of-music

Verona Festival Singers

Artistic Directors Tony Thornton and Paulo Faustini will bring together approximately 50 experienced choral singers who share a love for beauty, community, and artistic excellence to form the Verona Festival Singers, conducted by Dr. Pearl Shangkuan. The final concert will take place in San Fermo Maggiore, one of Verona’s four major churches, with additional informal performances in other beautiful spaces throughout the week. Rehearsals will be held during the mornings and early afternoons, giving participants plenty of time to explore, relax, and enjoy all that Verona has to offer.

Alongside rehearsals and performances in remarkable spaces, participants will experience an evening at the famed Verona Arena for a performance of La Traviata, a visit to Lake Garda, and a wine tasting in the beautiful wine region in Valpolicella. We’ll stop in Zevio, where Maria Callas once lived and have a private tour of the Maria Callas Museum, and experience the charm of Isola Rizza. It’s a week filled with music and friendship—the kind of experience that reminds you why you started singing in the first place.

Pearl, Tony, and Paulo are all proud alumni of Westminster Choir College. The format of the festival hearkens back to their student days, where they engaged in focused voice-building work with the great Frauke Haasemann. A rare treat in festival settings, Dr. Jamie-Rose Guarrine will join the team to offer voice-building sessions throughout the week. Singers can expect the same emphasis on sound, technique, and expressive artistry as our artistic team experienced at Westminster.

Who Should Apply?

We encourage applications from singers who are:

18+ years of age
Experienced choral musicians currently singing with, or conducting, a choral ensemble
Willing to prepare their part in all concert repertoire before arriving in Verona
Generous collaborators who are kind, respectful, and fun
Open to receiving feedback in a positive environment