Posted from the Archives of OPERA-L@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
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I'm writing regarding the Bel Canto Italia School of Opera, Florence, Italy, as well as the director and founder, Carlos Della Mora. Mr. Della Mora is a subscriber to this site, and I therefore invite him to provide responses to the following: The program is located in Florence, Italy, and was born in July of 1997 with a summer program. In preparation, the school's director and founder, Carlos Della Mora, ran a blitzkrieg of advertising in opera publications such as the TNYON, The Metropolitan Opera's Opera News, and on the web, to name a few. The advertising provided information on the school's full year and summer programs to be offered and included a three year Opera Performance Degree, a two year Master of Opera, and a Teacher's Certificate. According to both the brochure and Mr. Della Mora's verbal description, the Opera Performance Degree would be comprised of specific courses with a corresponding number of hours. Given a certain margin of error, the courses that were provided to me personally are as follows, along with the promised number of hours in confrontation with the actual number of hours:
Music: 38 of the 78 hours;
Voice Technique: 96 of the promised 117 hours
Opera Repertoire: 30 of the 78 hours;
Coaching: 3 of 156 hours
Acting: 0 of 78 hours
Opera Stage Mgt: 0 of 78 hours
Music History & Lit: 32 of the 78 hours (no literature);
Italian language classes initially taught by Carlos' wife, Beatrice, (who, as a former dancer also led classes in "corporal expression") for an approximate total of47 of the promised 78 hours. Later, Mr. Della Mora responded to student's complaints by engaging a local instructor and dividing the students into two levels of proficiency. When confronted with these numbers, Mr. Della Mora stated that it would be unrealistic to think that the school could be held to the exact number of hours stated in the brochure, but then admitted (in a private conversation only) that the above numbers were not even close to an approximation. Refusing me a refund, he conceded that I begin coachings (albeit against his policy). In reality, the coach was rarely available, (I myself cancelled once or twice) and shortly after, the coach quit. Carlos will say that he engaged another coach, but having little reason to attend the school beyond the minimum hours provided, I was never made aware of this, nor was I ever scheduled for an additional hour of coaching. Further, the brochure listed an impressive roster of participants from the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires, none of which actually ever materialized. Mr. Della Mora explained that they all unexpectedly cancelled at the last minute. Rather, the instructors were gathered for the most part from a group of acquaintances and friends in the chorus of the Teatro Communale of Florence, none of whom had any teaching credentials and in one or two cases, no teaching experience whatsoever.
As members of the chorus of the Teatro Communale, the voice teachers received their rehearsal schedules for the following week every Saturday. Therefore, the students were unaware of the following week's schedule until Monday afternoon at the earliest, and by consequence, classes were sparse or non-existent until Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and frequently cancelled if half the class (read: two people) were absent.
By the end of November, one of the original teachers had been fired ("for reasons of artistic" disagreement) and an additional three quit. Of these four teachers, only one ever received payment for work completed.
Meanwhile, in response to the students' complaints, Mr. Della Mora, refusing to give even a partial refund, implemented piano lessons for those who were interested. (I had 4 1/2 hours).
By the end of November, 4 of the original 11 students had begun local legal proceedings, and ultimately left Florence altogether. Mr. Della Mora will say that these students were expelled, which in all fairness is probably true, given the legal intervention.
The fee for one year was $12,000, payable in US dollars, In some cases,
tuition was adjusted (the average being around $8000), in others, scholarships were received from outside sources. When I explained to Mr. Della Mora my financial situation, he urged me to "just get here and we'll take care of you," and suggested three of his personal projects on which I could work and earn some money. Recently, and fully aware that the one year of school and living expenses had depleted my personal savings, Mr. Della Mora was kind enough to offer me a special price of $3000 for continued voice lessons during the 1998-99 "school year."
The brochure states, "BCISO will fully assist its student in the search for accommodation of their choice and will help the students in their every day life..." (sic). Upon my arrival, the Director introduced me to his friend who in turn explained the Florence real estate market. According both the agent and Mr. Della Mora, rents were high and agent's fees were normally two month's rent. Luckily, through another real estate agency I had found independently on the internet, I found a modest garden apartment outside the historic center, for approximately $600 and an agent's fee of about $300 (5% of one year - Mr. Della Mora's agent would have earned $1200 on this apartment). Seven other students shared a three bedroom apartment for $500 each, provided by and payable in US$ to Mr. Della Mora, who had rented the apartment to provide housing for incoming students. Once informed, these seven relocated to two cheaper, larger spaces. Still not satisfied, Carlos presented the seven students with a bill for the utilities, including the those consumer by the students of the summer program. Mr. Della Mora will say that he lost money in this undertaking.
Ironically, when none of his personal projects got off the ground, he suggested real estate to me as a means for supplementary income.
To my knowledge, Mr. Della Mora has not broken a law, but I leave it to readers and potential students to decide if breaking the law is the worst consideration. Mr. Della Mora's short term intentions are to administer the Bel Canto School of Opera in Florence while travelling and administering his other projects in Copenhagen, Viareggio, the US, and his home in Vancouver BC, as well as Israel, and apparently believes himself capable of maintaining the "quality" of his school at least at the level at which it was when he was on the premises.
Thanks to the Vocalist database, I was able to access previous postings written by Carlos Della Mora back through 1996. Mr. Della Mora publicises himself as Dottore Della Mora on all internet pages and brochures referring to the Bel Canto School of Opera however, Della Mora is merely a stage name, his real name being Carlos Francis-Arduh. The Vocalist Database contains correspondences also under this name.
Bel Canto Italia has evolved its web site pages to accommodate the constant updating of Mr. Della Mora's current capabilities. He has already edited his websites to include similar creations in Viareggo and Copenhagen. An important addition is as follows: "BCISO will make any necessary course adjustment and replacement of teachers acording (sic) to circumstances" (www.texnet.it/bciso/bciso3.html). Earlier websites included links to the names of the instructors (often erroneously entitled Professor/essa), course listings, number of hours offered per course, performance and concert possibilities, mirroring the information provided in the brochure. The current sites are as follows:
www.texnet.it/bciso/home.html;
www.texnet.it/bciso;
www.texnet.it/bciso/bciso1.html;
www.texnet.it/bciso/bciso3.html;
www.texnet.it/bciso/bciso4.html.
Other critiques of the school and of Mr. Della Mora are available within the Vocalist archive
(www.vocalist.org/archive/volume-04.605;
04.n617;
04.n619 ) however in many of the other cases, the pages are unavailable. The summer 1997 program included the involvement of Franco Corelli, with master classes. A similar program was publicized for the Summer of 1998, in spite of Mr. Corelli's prior commitment to conduct master classes in Mexico. Upon learning of the misrepresentation of his name, Mr. Corelli consulted his lawyer; prompting Mr. Della Mora to print a retraction in the most recent issue (Sept. 98) of Il Giornale Della Musica, Italy's music trade paper, negating any previously published "erroneous" information alluding to Mr. Corelli's participation in the Summer ''98 program. Mr. Della Mora will say he was unaware of Mr. Corelli's alternate commitment.
Mr. "Della Mora" had originally negotiated an affiliation with the then-music department head of the Edinboro University of Pennsyvania. Three of the "expelled" students were students of this department head; the department head is no longer at this school and urge interested readers and prospective students to make inquires at www.edinboro.edu
In July, Mr. Della Mora announced his new comprehensive music school, "Musicae Universitas, a Registered an Recognized Institution." The brochure listed programs in Music, Orchestra Conduction, Composition, Piano, Violin, Cello, Viola, Bass, Harp, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horns, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba and Ballet, for which a mass mailing was produced and on which is referenced www.texnet.it/bciso, now currently Bel Canto School of Opera's Home Page. It is unclear if this massprinted publication ever got sent out.
After months of auditions, rehearsals and organization, the operas
Pagliacci/Cavalleria Rusticana, scheduled to appear at the Teatro Verdi this past July were unexpectedly cancelled.
The school is now an empty space, with Carlos and his family packing up for their return to Vancouver B.C. He has arranged for the two remaining voice teachers to handle the finances of the "school" while renting out the necessary space above a nearby
music store.
Carlos will say that the teachers pulled out at the last minute, that he was overly generous with furnishing the apartments, that we weren't vocally ready for coachings, but again, I am baffled as to how he expects to improve the school's reputation by being for the most part, absent. In the end I am convinced that Mr. Della Mora's selection process leaves no room for a rejection. As long as there are students with disposable income or scholarships, there will be schools like this one. For all of you readers, I simply urge you to do your own research. If you would like further information or photocopies of the brochures mentioned in this letter, please feel free to contact me via email. Further, I urge others involved with Mr. Della Mora/Francis-Arduh to come forward and participate in this forum.
Available Materials:
- web site printouts
- Original Bel Canto Italia School of Opera
brochure
- Musicae Universitas brochure
- Publicity flyers for the cancelled 1998
summer opera including names
of all participants
- Publicity flyers (in Italian) advertising
Franco Corelli's
participation in the 3-30 June 1998 program
- Giornale Della Musica retraction
- Previous participants testimonials upon
request
Unfortuntely the email address for the author is no longer valid, if anyone has a good address for Lynn Levine please submit it to our boards! Thanks!
Pardon me fellow Opera-L'ers,
I found this review written by Lynn Levine (lynnlevine@dada.it) on
Vocalist. As with Vocalist, I know that Mr. Della Mora occasionally
posts here to Opera-L. Also note that this is not the first review I've
read about this program. I post it here because I know a lot of young
singers, such as myself, read Opera-L and I feel it is vital that they
know this info. about this program and take the necessary precautions.
Once again, I DID NOT WRITE THIS REVIEW AND I HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH
EITHER MS. LEVINE OR MR. DELLA MORA. If you have any further questions
I suggest you email Ms. Levine at lynnlevine@dada.it