FORO S MASTERCLASS: IRENA SYLYA – soprano, Artistic Director Ópera Panama Oct. 22 & 23, 2025 – Toronto, Canada


  • Internationally renowned dramatic soprano
  • Founder & Artistic Director Ópera Panama, Panama City, Panama
  • Frequent jury member for several major international singing competitions throughout Latin America and Europe
  • Frequently gives masterclass and mentorship to lyric associations and pro apprentice programs throughout Mexico, Central and South America

IRENA SYLYA is the founder and Artistic Director of Fundación Ópera Panama which is enjoying its eighteenth year of performances and training. Ópera Panama has successfully produced operas with national and international casts including MADAM BUTTERFLY, DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, LA TRAVIATA, LA BOHÈME, TOSCA, AÏDA, DER SCHAUSPIELDIREKTOR, I PAGLIACCI, MACBETH and more than sixty concerts in the city of Panama and the interior of the Republic. This year we are adding Zarzuela to the performance repertoire. Ópera Panama also has presented educational programs for children from 6 years of age. Ópera Panama provides an international quality of education in Panama by bringing well-renowned maestros to Panama to teach and give master classes. Ópera Panama has opened its programs of education to other countries including participants from the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Irena Sylya is renowned for her portrayal of dramatic heroines of opera including TURANDOT, CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, LOHENGRIN, PARSIFAL, AÏDA (Amneris), DIE WALKÜRE, DIE GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, JENUFA (Kolstenicka), and THE CONSUL (Magda), IL TABARRO (Texas Public Television) as well as world premiers including BEATRICE CENCI, Goldschmidt; OEDIPUS TEX, PDQ Bach; MARIA THERESA, Baumgartner (2012) and the German and USA premiere of POWDER HER FACE, Ades. “The theatrical daring of Irena Sylya is downright startling… she controls the stage and the score,” proclaims Los Angeles Times. The Neue Merker (Vienna) finds “the dramatic soprano secure and unwavering as the Ice Princess Turandot with her brilliant high notes and her warm well-carryi ng low notes”. Her debut in Italy with the RAI Orchestra of Naples was greeted with “applause for a rich, warm sound.” From the live broadcast of PARSIFAL in Bregenz by ORF, Vienna, her portrayal of Kundry was critiqued as “A dramatic soprano with brilliantly shining high notes that easily sail over the orchestra.” Ms. Sylya’s career has taken her to important theaters in the USA, Europe (Germany, Austria, Croatio, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, France), Israel and Panama; with conductors including Roberto Carraciolo, Sir Charles Mackerras, Cornelius Eberhardt, Manfred Mayrhofer, Mathias Husman,

Neal Stuhlberg, Cal Stewart Kellog. She has worked with stage directors Walter DuCloux, Wolfgang Weber, Max K. Hoffman, Tomer Zvulun, Rober Tannenbaum, David Schweizer, Antonio de Lucia and Rober Desimone.

Ms. Sylya receiver her Bachelor’s degree in Voice and Pedagogy from Birmingham Southern College, Alabama, and her Master’s degree in Voice and Opera from the U. of Texas. She studied privately with Franco Corelli, Renata Scotto, Astrid Varnay, Elena Nikolaidi, and Paola Molinari. She has been a Professor of Voice at the U of Texas in Austin, Texas; Corpus Christi State University Texas; AIMS in Graz, Austria, and the Musical Theater School of Vienna, Austria; Visiting Professor in the Escuela de Bellas Artes de la Universidad de Panama. She presently works as a stage director in Panama and Mexico and consults with agents in Europe as well as giving master classes in Europe (2013) Laboratorio LTL Opera Studio Teatro Goldoni, Livorno, Italy; 2014 in Lecce, Italy; in Czechia, Latin America (Guadalajara, San Luis Polosí, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City, Mexico; Trujillo, Peru); and most recently (2024) Madrid, Spain, and upcoming in Colombia. She has been a member of the jury for international competitions in Perú, Panama, Czechia, Mexico and Slovakia.


A word from the director:

The real job of any singer, or any professional performing artist, is THE AUDITION. It’s a daunting task for any young emerging singer. Who are we singing for? What are we singing for? How should I best present myself? What arias best represent my capacity and highlight my potential? Who is hearing me? What is their taste? How do they cast? What are they looking for? How should I dress? Am I ready for this?… This list of questions grows the more we think about it! It’s only with accumulated experience that we gain a capacity to bring it all into perspective, somewhat. Having some of these questions unanswered is a good thing, it keeps us on our toes and keeps us honest, if we take it seriously. And we discover bit by bit the ability to be objective about this job of the audition. A lot of this does happen, perspective and wisdom, with post-audition feedback from the competition jury, agents, casting directors, etc.

I am so pleased that we have this rare opportunity with our esteemed guest master teacher and operatic dramatic soprano IRENA SYLYA. This promises to be a rich 2 day journey learning from someone who has lived “in the shoes” of our participant singers and sits on many of these casting and competition panels throughout North & South America and Europe and is very well known to mentor and promote deserving talent as it presents and is ready for next steps on the international stages.

If you want to sing? We have 8 spots open to sing both days! You would like to sit in on the conversation and witness the work? You are very welcome to audit. Singers, send us your application! Auditors, procure your 1-day or 2-day passes  through our online box-office.

STUART GRAHAMfounder & general director Foro S: Pro Artist Incubator


ADMISSIBILITY (Max. 8 Active Participants):

  • Open to singers of all voice types & nationalities who have completed their undergrad formation who are considered emerging professional or professional
  • Interested singers, please send your materials (CV, bio, photo, audition rep list)
  • Auditions may be heard in person for those in Toronto. For those outside of the region, you may send us your recent audition video links for consideration.
  • Accepted candidates will have the chance to perform and work both afternoons as well as actively participate in the Online Zoom Chat “The Business of Being a Singer”

APPLICATION|AUDITION DEADLINE – OCTOBER 20, 2024

↓ PLEASE SEND YOUR MATERIALS  USING THE DIGITAL APPLICATION FORM FOUND BELOW ↓


FEES:

  • ACTIVE PARTICIPANT: $140.00CAD (includes both lyric sessions )
  • AUDITORS:
    • 1-Day Pass:               $30
    • 2-Day Pass:               $50

Purchase Auditor Passes Here:

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TEL/SMS/WhatsApp: +1 416 927 9105

EMAIL: info@stuartgraham.ca

MASTERCLASS: Irena Sylya - Auditor Day Passes

BOX OFFICE POLICY:

  • All tickets are GENERAL SEATING.
  • Your PAYPAL receipt acts as your ticket. Please print your receipt or show your PAYPAL email confirmation/receipt on your electronic device for presentation to enter the venue, OR, note your receipt number for verification at the door.
  • All tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE. Full refunds will be issued in the case of event cancellation.
  • Your online purchase is done through the PAYPAL secured website. We do not collect personal or financial information.
  • You ticket purchase will appear on your credit card statement as STUART GRAHAM.

For inquiries about the program or box office, please contact us at:

Tel: +1 416.927.9105

Email: info@stuartgraham.ca



PARTICIPANT APPLICATION FORM:

By |2025-10-14T18:26:27+00:00October 14, 2025|FORO S - News|0 Comments

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