12 participants of the Summer School Belcanto 2019


Elenora Hu - soprano | The Netherlands

Whilst completing her bachelor’s studies English Language and Culture at Leiden University,
Elenora began her training as a professional vocalist. As of 2016, she is attending HKU Utrecht Conservatory
studying under soprano Dobrinka Yankova.

Will work on:

V. Bellini; Col sorriso d'innocenza ... Oh sole! Ti vela (Imogene) - Il Pirata

V. Bellini; Ah! non credea mirarti ... Ah, non giunge (Amina) - La Sonnambula

G. Rossini; Bel raggio lusinghier (Semiramide) - Semiramide

Hanna-Liisa Kirchin - mezzo-soprano | Great Britain 

A recent alumnus of the National Opera Studio. She is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and
ENO's Opera Works.

Will work on:

G. Rossini; Ah! quel giorno ognor rammento (Arsace) - Semiramide

G. Rossini; Nacqui all'affanno, al pianto … Non più mesta (Angelina/Cenerentola - La Cenerentola

G. Donizetti; Il segreto per esser felici (Maffio Orsini) - Lucrezia Borgia

G. Donizetti; Per questa fiamma indomita (Giovanna Seymour) - Anna Bolena

G. Verdi; Al suon del tamburo (Preziosilla) - La Forza del Destino


Junlin Ge - bass-baritone | China

Started singing lessons with Zhenhua Chang in March of 2016. He won first prize of the pre-slection of the Alcamo International Singing Competition and followed masterclasses from the Royal Conservatory Of The Hague.

Will work on:

V. Bellini; Il mulino! Il fonte! Il bosco! - Vi ravviso o luoghi ameni (Count Rodolfo) - La Sonnambula

G. Rossini; Miei rampolli femminini (Don magnifico) -La Cenerentola

G. Donizetti; Come Paride vezzoso (Belcore) - L'Elisir d'Amore


Charlotte Houberg - soprano | The Netherlands

Charlotte Houberg has, after finishing her conservatory Cum Laude, had her debut at the Dutch National Opera in 2016, with the world premier of The Theater of the World by Louis Andriessen, under the baton of Reinbert de Leeuw with the ASKO|Schönberg ensemble in de Walt Disney Concert Hall van Los Angeles and in Carré Amsterdam.

Will work on:

G. Donizetti; Il faut partir mes bons compagnons d'armes (Marie) - La Fille du Régiment

G. Donizetti; Ah! tardai troppo ... O luce di quest'anima (Linda) - Linda di Chamounix

G. Donizetti; Quel guardo, il cavaliere ... So anch'io la virtù magica (Norina) - Don Pasquale


Yajie Zhang - mezzo-soprano | China

Born in China, Yajie Zhang began her vocal studies in 2010 in Shanghai, where she became a member of the Zhou Xiao Yan Opera Center. Since 2015, the mezzo-soprano continues her studies in Hannover with Marek Rzepka and Justus Zeyen. Zhang was awarded the  IVC Grand Prix, Opera Prize, and Junior Jury Prize in 2017.

Will work on:

G. Rossini; Una voce poco fa (Rosina) - Il Barbiere di Siviglia

G. Rossini; Nacqui all'affanno, al pianto… Non più mesta (Angelina/Cenerentola - La Cenerentola

V. Bellini; Lieto del dolce incarco … Se Romeo l'uccise un figlio (Romeo) - I Capuleti ed i Montecchi

G. Donizetti; Per questa fiamma indomita (Giovanna Seymour) - Anna Bolena


Gabriel Rollinson - bass | Germany/US

The German-American bass-baritone received his education at the Manhattan School of Music and at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich were he continues his studies at the Theaterakademie August Everding with Michelle Breedt. Last Season he sang Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte at Munich’s Prinzregententheater, and premiered the role of Arturo Cidre in Micha Hamel’s opera, Caruso a Cuba at the Dutch National Opera.

Will work on:

V. Bellini; Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni (Rodolfo) - La Sonnambula

G. Donizetti; Dalle stanze, ove Lucia (Raimondo Bidebent) - Lucia di Lammermoor

G. Rossini; Là del ciel nell'arcano profondo (Alidoro) - La Cenerentola


Aleksandra Kirsanova - soprano | Russia

She was born in Russia in Ekaterinburg. Currently she works as a soloist in the Ekaterinburg State Academic Philharmonic and involved in operatic concerts and chamber music concerts throughout Russia. Aleksandra graduated from the Ekaterinburg Conservatory.

Will work on:

G. Donizetti; Al dolce guidami (Anna Bolena) -Anna Bolena

G. Verdi; Ernani, Ernani involami (Elvira) - Ernani

G. Rossini; Selva opaca, deserta brughiera (Matilde) - Guglielmo Tell

G. Verdi; Sempre all'alba ed alla sera (Giovanna) - Giovanna d'Arco

G. Donizetti - Com'è bello! Quale incanto (Lucrezia Borgia) - Lucrezia Borgia


Marion Vergez-Pascal - mezzo-soprano | France

Studied in France and Amsterdam. She sang inter alia Linfea in La Calisto and Zefka in The Diary of One Who Disappeared.

Will work on:

G. Donizetti; E sgombro il loco ... Ah! parea che per incanto (Smeton) - Anna Bolena

G. Donizetti; Deh! non voler costringere (Smeton) - Anna Bolena

G. Rossini; O patria! ... Tu che accendi questo core…Di tanti palpiti (Tancredi) - Tancredi


Thomas Coltman - baritone | Great Britain

His diverse musical career has seen him involved in notable engagements as baritone, pianist, musical director, and vocal-coach.

Will work on:

G. Rossini; Sois immobile (Guillaume Tell) - Guillaume Tell

G. Donizetti; Forse in quel cor sensibile (The Duke of Nottingham) - Roberto Devereux

V. Bellini, Sì, vincemmo, e il pregio io sento (Ernesto) - Il Pirata



Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone - soprano | Latvia

She graduated from the Riga Cathedral Choir School (Vocal singing department) in 2017. She has premiered the opus of Jekabs Jancevskis with Konzerthausorchester Berlin in Konzerthaus Berlin. Has performed in the Elbphilharmonie with Gustavo Dudamel, in the soprano group of EuropaChorAkademie led by Joshard Daus.

Will work on:

G. Donizetti; Prendi, per me sei libero (Adina) - L'Elisir d'Amore

G. Donizetti; Chacun le sait (Marie) - La Fille du Régiment

G. Donizetti; Della crudele Isotta (Adina) - L'Elisir d'Amore

G. Donizetti; Quel guardo, il cavaliere ... So anch'io la virtù magica (Norina) - Don Pasquale


Oleksandra Kuzmina - mezzo-soprano | Ukraine

She sings often at the International Music Festival Kharkiv Assemblies in Ukraine and sang Olga in Jevgeni Onjegin, Flora in La Traviata and Hata in Die verkaufte Braut at the Khariv Opera Studio.

Will work on:

G. Rossini; Una voce poco fa (Rosina) - Il Barbiere di Siviglia

G. Rossini; Cruda sorte (Isabella) - L'Italiana in Algeri

V. Bellini; Se Romeo l'uccise un figlio (Romeo) - I Capuleti ed i Montecchi

G. Donizetti; O, mio Fernando (Leonora) - La Favorita

G. Donizetti; Il segreto per esser felici (Maffio Orsini) - Lucrezia Borgia


Bekir Serbest - tenor | Turkey

In 2009, Bekir Serbest was accepted to the Dokuz Eylül University State Conservatory Vocal Department. In April he performed G. Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle as tenor soloist under the baton of director Guido Maria Guida in Torino, Italy, where he lives.

Will work on:

G. Rossini; Che intesi ... Oh annunzio! - Deh! troncate - i ceppi suoi (Norfolk) - Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra

G. Rossini; Si, ritrovarla io giuro (Don Ramiro) - La Cenerentola

G. Rossini; Languir per una bella (Lindoro) - L'Italiana in Algeri