Coaching
At the Dutch National Opera Academy, students benefit from a minimum of two individual coaching sessions each week with an international team of highly experienced opera professionals.
These sessions are designed to refine every aspect of your artistry. Through detailed, personalised feedback, coaches work closely with you on vocal technique, stylistic understanding, musical interpretation, linguistic accuracy, and stage performance—always with the goal of developing a confident, versatile, and expressive performer.
Alongside individual coaching and language work, students take part in regular ensemble classes. These sessions explore musical, interpretative, and dramatic interaction within a group setting, with particular attention to communication, listening, and responsiveness. Students learn how to balance technical and musical independence while collaborating effectively with conductors, directors, and fellow performers—essential skills for a fulfilling professional operatic career.
DNOA in the words of an alumnus
Following my time at the DNOA, I received offers from two external ‘opera studios’: one at a large international French house, L’Opéra national du Rhin, and the other at the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater in Germany. I ultimately chose the contract at the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater. From the start there, I was immediately expected to operate independently and deliver professional results. The demands required me to prepare complex roles and manage an intense rehearsal and performance schedule with minimal institutional coaching. This challenging period underscored a key truth: my ability to meet these high, immediate expectations was entirely thanks to the professional skills and robust preparation I received at the DNOA.
In my subsequent experiences working in various opera houses and interacting with other young artists regarding their own training (master’s programs, opera schools, and studios), it became clear that the resources, rigorous preparation, and performance opportunities provided by the DNOA are truly unparalleled within the current landscape.
Gabe Clarke – DNOA graduate (2022)
Useful resources
Our curriculum
Read more details about the curriculum, programme objectives and assessment criteria.
Financial support
Find out more information about financial support through scholarships and funds.
Our facilities
Find out about the facilities that our partner Universities offer in Amsterdam and the Hague.
The closing date for applications to join the programme in Autumn 2026 is Sunday 11. January 2026.