Experience of Petrea Cooney, attending Summer of 2002:
This month I attended the following bel canto opera singing "school" held in Florence, Italy:
Florence School of Opera (previously known as the Bel Canto Italia School of Opera) director Maestro Carlos Della Mora (real name Carlos Francis Julio Arduh, an Argentine, formerly resident in Canada) website http://www.belcantoitalia.net (or http://www.florencearts.org)
This page describes the course I expected to be part of: http://www.florencearts.org/Opera%20Summer%20Program.html
After arriving to begin the course, it was revealed that, of the advertised curriculum, no opera at all was to take place, no role preparation or rehearsal, and no repertoire coaching. I received no introductory orientation. The minimal teaching was done only by Carlos Della Mora and Marisa Balistreri (his partner) and organised in a haphazard fashion with frequent uncommunicated last-minute changes of timetable and content.
The promised accomodation, the cost of which was included in the total fee, was changed on arrival. I was not happy with the flat provided (sharing with a single male) and subsequent illegal events in the flat made me feel very unsafe. Repeated requests to the director to move me were not acted upon. I left the course after less than a week, along with two other unhappy participants from the US and Australia, leaving only three on the course at the time.
Requests to refund the unused portion of my $3000 (three thousand US dollars) fee, payable in advance, were dismissed. The website was altered, with the addition of some legal jargon "reserving the right" to "change the program". I believe the school was presented in a very inaccurate and misleading way and wish to pursue any courses of action open to me to complain, warn others and seek reimbursement.
Please email me or continue this newsgroup thread if you have had similar experiences of this "school of opera".
This web page describes an official Italian consumer complaints investigation into two of Carlos Della Mora's previous "projects" last year, following action taken by several American students (in Italian): http://www.infogiur.com/giurisprudenza/provvedimento_10413_2002.htm
The page can be translated into English using Google: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=arduh+Carlos+Fran cis+julio+
Extracts:
"...The "Bel Canto Italia School of Opera" e the "Florence Art Collegium" based in Florence have sent out through the following web sites: "www.belcantoitalia.net" e "www.artcollegium.com" advertisements to promote study courses for foreign students that the Authority deems to be DECEPTIVE ADVERTISEMENTS. ...the two schools would be, in truths, nonexistent and foretold situated the Internet would represent only the instrument realized from the sig. Arduh Carlos Francis Julio (known also with the stage name of master Carlos Della Mora) in order to attract foreign students deceptively taking advantage of the image and the artistic-cultural tradition of Florence. ...The Authority deemed that the afore mentioned advertisements are deceptive, in so far as, contrary to the truth, they lead one to believe that: - there is a complex organization with people, structures and means, in other words adequate permanent premises...teaching staff (specialised in the various fields of study); an appropriate technical/administrative structure; recognition and collaboration with public and private institutions. From our investigation, however it appears that the schools have no permanent premises; that the address given on the internet web sites corresponds to a simple post box at the Florence central post office; that some of the lessons for foreign students were held in premises made available by a musical instruments shop; that the cultural visits and other advertised activities did not take place. The Authority therefore decided to publish the present rectification message. (Order adopted at its meeting of 7 February 2002)" PC