FAU and Italy’s Giacomo Puccini Conservatory Forge Ahead with Five-Year Cultural and Educational Exchange

In a move that underscores the growing global interconnectedness of higher education and the arts, Florida Atlantic University (FAU), based in Boca Raton, Florida, and the Conservatorio Giacomo Puccini in La Spezia, Italy, have officially joined in a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that promises to enhance the cultural and academic exchange between the United States and Italy. The agreement, which is set for a period of five years with options for renewal, aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of opera and the musical arts across continents.

This initiative is highlighted by the recent “FAU Opera in Italy” program, an innovative education abroad program that has been facilitating immersive experiences for students since 2023. Under the agreement, students and faculty from FAU can engage in collaborative projects and research and performance opportunities with their counterparts at the Puccini Conservatory, home to a rich legacy of classical music and operatic excellence.

Image: Dr Mitchell Hutchings and Prof Federico Bardazzi at an outreach concert at the State Institute of Art Felice Palma in Massa Italy

The collaboration was organized by Mitchell Hutchings, PhD, artistic director of FAU Opera Theatre and assistant professor in the Department of Music, and Ilaria Serra, PhD, professor in the Department of Languages, Linguistics, and Comparative Literature at FAU.

“Opera performance has been an integral part of our university’s culture since at least 1967,” said Hutchings. “This partnership with the Giacomo Puccini Conservatory is a testament to our ongoing commitment to vocal performance and opera, cultivating future generations of classical musicians, and preserving the Italian ‘bel canto’ tradition.”

Images: Maestro Giuseppe Bruno Speaking to FAU Students

The ‘bel canto’ tradition, celebrated for its beautiful, expressive singing was recently recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, emphasizing the significance of this collaboration in safeguarding the practice of opera singing in Italy.

Images: Maestro Giuseppe Bruno and Dr Mitchell Hutchings with FAU Opera in Italy Students at Sala Dante in La Spezia

The signing of this MOU was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Stacy Volnick, PhD, President of Florida Atlantic University, Maestro Giuseppe Bruno, Director of the Conservatorio Puccini La Spezia, and Michael J. Horswell, PhD, Dean, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, alongside the invaluable contributions of Federico Bardazzi, Professor and Coordinator of International Relations, and Alessandra Montali, PhD, Professor of Music History and Research Coordinator at the Puccini Conservatory.

This five-year agreement, with its provisions for renewal, marks a significant commitment by both institutions to not only enhance the educational opportunities for their students but also to contribute to the cultural dialogue between the United States and Italy. Through this partnership, FAU and the Puccini Conservatory are positioned to enrich the academic and artistic landscapes of both communities.