The Bethesda Summer Music Festival

Michael Cordovana

Michael Cordovana is an internationally recognized coach and accompanist. He holds a doctorate from The Catholic University of America, and has studied at the Peabody Conservatory, the Aspen School of Music, and the British Institute in Florence, Italy. He studied opera with Luigi Ricci in Rome and Vasco Naldini in Milan. Dr. Cordovana is Professor of Music at The Catholic University of America where he heads the vocal department. He has received numerous grants for study in Germany, Austria, and Italy and has performed extensively in the United States and Europe.

He was assistant conductor for the Providence Opera Theatre and the Washington Opera where he did the musical preparation for "Die Walküre", conducted by Antal Dorati and staged by George London.

Michael Cordovana

Since 1974, until his retirement in 1996, Dr. Cordovana was assistant conductor and chief coach for the Dallas Opera Company. In 1989, he was responsible for the musical preparation of the world premiere of Dominick Argento's "The Aspern Papers", starring Frederica von Stade, Elizabeth Söderström, and Richard Stillwell, broadcast on "Great Performances". He also did the musical preparation for Mr. Argento's "Dream of Valentino" in the Dallas performance.

He has performed concerts with Ruth Welting, Elizabeth Söderström, John Aler, Carmen Balthrop, Myra Merritt, and Linda Mabbs. In addition, he has worked with Renata Scotto, Jon Vickers, Mateo Manuguerra, Sesto Bruscantini, Joan Sutherland and has assisted conductors Richard Bonynge, Nicola Rescigno, Christian Badea, Daniel Oren, Wolfgang Rennert, and Reynald Giovanetti, to name only a few.

Currently, he teaches during the summer on the faculties of the Bethesda Summer Music Festival, the Shaker Mountain Music Festival and the Amalfi Coast Music Festival.