After all this time, I am very, VERY excited to be writing to you all again! Apologies that it has been so long. Currently it’s the evening of the second last day of Summer here in Philadelphia. My room this year has a view of my building’s terrace garden a few floors down and additionally of Saint Mark’s Church across the road; Its architecture resembles the Gothic period of the 14th century (despite being built in 1847) and the bell rings exactly 2 minutes early to every hour! I am so happy to be back. The end of last year’s semester at Curtis was jam-packed; it featured our final opera for the year, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Britten, a number of recitals including the Provost’s Honors Recital and Curtis Gala, and of course… the news of what was to come next year!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Britten, a number of recitals including the Provost’s Honors Recital and Curtis Gala, and of course…
I wasn’t part of the cast for the last 2025-2026 opera, but fortunately this meant I had the pleasure of coming to the dress rehearsal and both public performances – I just couldn’t get enough of it! So many of my friends were up there, and they brought so much personality, good humour and cunning to their characters that I just kept coming back (Despite the 3 hour run time…). A critics review by David Fox, which can be read here, claimed “every performance here feels fully inhabited and part of this collective world. Curtis Opera may be a training program (albeit one at the highest level), but I doubt any professional opera company could deliver a more committed and compelling performance.” It’s fair to say that I feel very lucky to be here surrounded by such talent.
Puck, played by Soprano Maya Mor-Mitrani, closes the curtain as act 3 ensues in the Perelman Theatre, Kimmel Centre – view more photos on the Curtis webpage here As the opera performances came to a close, so did the year. With only 10 days of classes left, I was privileged enough to be invited, alongside my colleague and friend Celestia Song (Soprano), to perform Where the Clouds Go by Dongjin Kim – a piece from Celestia’s Korean Recital in February – at the Provost’s Honors Recital and subsequently the Curtis Gala. With the lack of a piano at the venue, we arranged the piece for a string trio in less than a week. With Gavin Hardy (Double Bass), Sooeon Kim (Violin) and Jonah Kernis (Cello) on strings, the Honors Recital at Field Concert Hall was very well-received and gave us the momentum needed for the Curtis Gala! The event took place on the 15th of May at the Bellevue Hotel, featuring a cocktail reception, seated dinner, a massive amount of flowers, and of course music! After the performances, we sat amongst the donors, meeting many of the faces supporting Curtis’ tuition-free education.
Our performance at the Bellevue Hotel, captured by Tracie Van Auken
After the Curtis Gala’s 10:00pm finish, I returned to my friend’s house where all my packed bags were waiting, slept on their Murphy Bed until 4:00am and took an Uber to Philadelphia Airport. From there I flew to Denver and then to San Francisco. With an eleven hour layover in the Golden State of California before my flight to Melbourne, I did what any good tourist would do and took a bus into the heart of San Francisco, wandering my way through Pier 39. After some fresh cherries, a very long look over the harbour (and some very noisy sea lions), I enjoyed a ride back on the tram and train systems to San Francisco International Airport and flew home.
Cherries at the pier and the train ride back to the airport
My time back home in Australia was wonderful. I had the joy of participating in many competitions including Warrnambool Eisteddfod, Sydney Eisteddfod, Monash Music Festival, and Boroondara Eisteddfod – as well as of course having the privilege to perform a recital at Nightingale Gallery in partnership with you, the Tait Performing Arts Association, and the John Truscott Foundation. It was such an amazing night and such a wonderful opportunity to program a performance with pianist Caroline Almonte!
Most importantly, I got to see my family and loved ones of whom I deeply miss xx
Since arriving a week ago, we’ve all hit the ground running helping with New Student Orientation! The second year is always considered the most busy, so I already know I’m going to have plenty to talk about when I next write 🙂
Already, we’re preparing Italian opera scenes and solo pieces for a Bel Canto Residency with Maestro Corrado Rovaris from September 15th-18th, and rehearsals for our first opera, Susannah, will begin soon after.
A picture of me in Rittenhouse Square as Summer draws to a close in August 2026
I am so excited to be sharing my journey with you another year, and I thank the Tait Performing Arts Association deeply for giving me their generosity once again – What a wonderful opportunity I have received!
Warmest wishes,
Bella