“My daily coachings with the CLA Italy Faculty were invaluable to my musical development… Each and every member of the faculty is an absolute consummate professional and incredibly kind person.”
Anna Poltronieri Tang.
Each day in Novafeltria, I was delighted and surprised by the simple beauty of the view outside my window. As I woke to the sounds of roosters crowing next door, I would take in the morning light and how it hit the surrounding hills, softening them as if in a painting.
After leaving my apartment, I would usually attend 1-2 coachings followed by Italian class just up the street from the main piazza in the center of town. It was so beneficial exploring the Italian language in small groups where we each had opportunities to participate. I loved thetime I spent in with Ilaria, the Italian language teacher, and my wonderful classmates. After morning classes, we usually had time for a leisurely lunch, which allowed us to go out and explore the delicious restaurants in town. After lunch, the afternoons typically consisted of ensemble rehearsals for our performances, which included our individual scenes for upcoming concerts, larger ensemble rehearsals, and group classes.
Anna Poltronieri Tang and Glenn Morton after a concert in Ravenna.
My daily coachings with the CLA Italy Faculty were invaluable to my musical development. All of the coaches at CLA were generous and insightful- both, artistically and personally. Ubaldo Fabbri’s passion for diction and the natural musicality of the Italian language always left me feeling inspired and I felt motivated to implement his comments and feedback as soon as possible. Raphael Fusco’s quick intelligence and knowledge of music always made for an eventful and productive coaching. His brain contains multitudes that I can’t even begin to comprehend. Each time I left a coaching with Glenn Morton I had a new foundational building block to incorporate into my everyday practice. I found working with Glenn was a clarifying and strengthening experience.
The mosaics in Ravenna.
Michael Sheetz’s ability to organize all of the CLA Italy singers in the large ensemble rehearsals with ease and energy is a testament to his expertise in choral conducting. As a person, he was wonderful to work with and always up for a good laugh. John Viscardi’s sessions were given from the unique and essential viewpoint of a working singer with important recommendations for tangible action points we can take to further our careers. Daniel Isengart provided a unique combination of emotional, visual, and physical insight. His unique talents enabled him to intuitively maximize each student’s expressive potential. Each and every member of the faculty is an absolute consummate professional and incredibly kind person.
Anna Poltronieri Tang performing with the 2025 CLA Italy Artists.
All of the performances were magical and every single venue was gorgeous. Our first performance was in the Teatro Sociale in Novafeltria. The theatre was full of the Novafeltria community members and it felt like a homecoming as we went into our cocert series. Our second concert was in the Gradara Castle. It felt like we were stepping into another world as we crossed over the drawbridge going to the venue. Our voices resonated and bounced off of the surrounding brick and stone of the performance space. We then had our third concert in a small, historic, completely wooden theatre in Sant’Agata Feltria. It is painted blue with pink flower garlands on the small opera boxes and on the ceiling. There is also a decadent chandelier in the center of the hall. Lastly, we had a concert in the main piazza in Ravenna directly next to Dante Alighieri’s grave. The piazza was full of life and the buzz of the city as we performed.
Dante Alighieri’s tomb in Ravenna
I’ve often wondered what in the cosmic universe made this particular group of students come together and click so well. I don’t have an answer. All I know is that the energy of CLA Italy was like none other I have experienced. It really felt like a big family. I have fond memories of group meals, and day trips (like the one we all took to the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, and seeing the age-old mosaics in Ravenna), and of course grabbing gelato after our performances. All it took was for one of us to look at the others and go, “I think it’s gonna be a due gusti (two flavor) type of night” and the plans were set.
Raphael Fusco’s composition for the local ristorante.
While I felt immense support and comradery from all the students and teachers, I was surprised by the extent of active support and acceptance from Novafeltria’s local community members. During Ferragosto, Italy’s national summer vacation, a local ristorante opened solely for the CLA students and faculty. In spite of the holiday, the family who ran the restaurant offered us a multiple course meal featuring three pasta dishes, meats, vegetables, and multiple dessert selections. We thanked them the best way we knew how, by singing. We sang a three-part round written by Raphael Fusco, who is both a coach at CLA and an accomplished composer. Everyone was moved.
We were all coming to the end of a life changing 3 weeks of study, and this moment gave me pause to reflect on how we are now a small part of CLA’s 16- year legacy in Novafeltria. For that, I am immensely grateful. The owners added Raphael's music to their collection of memories born in their restaurant, and we all were a part of a memory that added to the continuous legacy of CLA.