The new Leverhulme Conducting Fellow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), who will be mentored by our Music Director, Stuart Stratford, has been appointed.
Colombian-Italian conductor Stefano Boccacci undertakes the two-year fellowship, which is in association with us and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO), from September. It marks a significant milestone in the evolving partnership between us and the RCS and is for conductors on the cusp of their careers, offering a highly sought-after step in the journey from study to the professional podium.
The Leverhulme Conducting Fellow has access to rehearsals with us as well as BBC SSO, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hebrides Ensemble and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and will act as assistant to Ryan Wigglesworth, chief conductor of the BBC SSO, when he is in Glasgow. The Fellow will also accompany the orchestra to its rehearsals and concerts at the BBC Proms and Edinburgh International Festival.
In their second year, the Fellow will act as assistant conductor for the inaugural collaborative production with us as part of the Advanced Artist Diploma in Opera, which prepares artists with outstanding vocal talent for professional success on the world’s stages.
Stefano, a symphonic, opera and ballet conductor, will also be mentored by the internationally acclaimed Martyn Brabbins, visiting professor of conducting at RCS, who conducted our recent production of Janáček’s The Makropulos Affair.
Stuart Stratford, who already coaches conducting students at RCS, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Stefano into the Scottish Opera family as part of this expanded Fellowship programme.
'The deepening partnership with RCS allows us to create truly meaningful pathways for emerging conductors, bridging the crucial gap between training and professional experience.
'Working with Stefano will be particularly rewarding as we prepare for our production that will be staged in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and represents an exciting new chapter in opera training and performance in Scotland.
'His diverse experience and evident passion for both symphonic and operatic repertoire make him an ideal candidate to benefit from this unique opportunity.'
Stefano said: 'This type of fellowship is a conductor’s dream, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in the cultural life of Glasgow and Scotland, to collaborate with the outstanding artists of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Opera, and I am really excited to work with Ryan Wigglesworth and Stuart Stratford.'
More information about the Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship is available at Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland