The Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio is a cornerstone in our organization. From personalized instruction to performing on stage, Studio Artists gain the experience needed to advance in their professional careers. Meet Katrina Galka, one of our 2017/18 alumna, as she takes you through her studio experience.
During her two seasons as a Studio Artist, Katrina sang several important roles, including Cunegonde in Candide, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Clorinda in Cinderella, and Woglinde in Das Rheingold.
When asked about her experience with the Arizona Opera Studio Program, Katrina replied, “When I joined the Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio Artist Program, every role I was caste in was a role debut. There is nothing better than having the experience of performing major roles to help propel your career. You learn so much in the process of preparing a role – from one on one coachings in the studio, to singing with a conductor, the rest of the cast and then eventually with an orchestra. Then in the staging process you learn how to think on your feet, be flexible to different ideas and interpretations, and how to be a good colleague and collaborator. Finally, you find yourself standing on a massive stage in front of a live audience and delivering everything you’ve assimilated in your preparation process. You just can’t simulate all of those components, you can only live them! Since my time at Arizona Opera, I have been fortunate to continue my singing career around the world with company debuts at Wiener Staatsoper, Minnesota Opera, New Orleans Opera, Opera San Jose, the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy (Japan), On Site Opera, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Florida Orchestra, and even traveled to Egypt as a US Arts Envoy and guest of the US Embassy in Cairo.”
