What makes the International Opera Workshop Waiblingen unique among the various training programs for young singers is its special philosophy: it’s not just a seminar or masterclass, but a full professional simulation culminating in a concert before an audience with a symphony orchestra. For one week, selected artists prepare under the guidance of internationally renowned artists Thomas Hampson and Melanie Diener, while the lessons are broadcast live and remain available online. Participation is completely free, with all travel and accommodation expenses covered. At the same time, the active involvement of the local community creates a special environment where opera becomes part of daily local life.
As the application process (until April 1st) for the September 2026 program has already opened, we spoke with Elina Santova, the first Greek participant in the program, about her experience in the last International Opera Workshop Waiblingen (2025).
How did you find yourself at the International Opera Workshop Waiblingen?
The truth is, I didn’t know about the program. I had no idea what to expect or what expectations to have. The offer came from another summer program I was participating in with a full scholarship, AIMS, with which the Internationale Opernwerkstatt Waiblingen collaborates. Seeing who was organizing it, I immediately accepted, of course.
So, compared to other masterclasses, it’s different?
It’s different. I have never encountered or heard of anything like this being offered completely free. Whatever I say will be an understatement for the welcome and hospitality. First, I must say that I felt like a heroine, or at least some official persona. I have never felt such support and recognition from the residents and the management. They truly did everything to ensure a comfortable stay, which even included daily meals at an expensive restaurant.
One of the program’s unique features is that host families from the city provide accommodation.
I personally stayed with Mrs. Aja and her husband, who pampered me completely. She is also a musician and hosts program participants every year. Their house even has a wonderful grand piano, where I could practice daily.
What was the daily routine of this multifaceted activity like? Is there any lesson you remember most, or something you learned that particularly impressed you?
I remember every morning at 8:45 AM we had a breathing class, where we stretched, calmed down, and connected with each other—participants, mentors, and pianists alike. It was a very helpful experience because it prepared the body to receive the new stimuli we got every day. I won’t hide from you, though, that such an early awakening was very difficult, considering that classes ended at 7:00 PM (or often even 8:00 PM). I remember discussing with the others how we would go straight to sleep as soon as we got home and then wake up and go straight back to class, as if we hadn’t even gone home; there was no time for anything else.
As a journalist, I also participated in that morning breathing class during the 2024 program, and then we had a full schedule all day.
Every day, many journalists and cameras were present during the lessons, which unfortunately didn’t allow us to work on technique in depth, with the necessary calm. I truly wished we could have worked without the endless interviews and cameras bothering us. Unfortunately, it changes the way someone teaches or sings… you have an additional stress.
Is the program itself… stressful?
The program is very intensive. Unfortunately, at that moment, you don’t have time to process and assimilate all the new information. That’s why I recorded everything. Now, it’s up to me to study them methodically later. It’s impressive how differently a singer hears themselves compared to a listener. I no longer trust my own ears, only the recording or my teachers.
How important was the personality of the instructors?
Mr. Hampson had many of his experiences to share. It’s impressive how a baritone can teach a coloratura soprano. I learned from him how important correct posture is. He emphasized it constantly, helping me overcome old technical mistakes.
How important was your participation in the final concert?
The final concert was indeed a very important experience, as it gave us the opportunity to collaborate with a professional orchestra under the direction of a female conductor, with whom I was particularly happy to work, as this is not so common.
Which role did you sing?
In this concert, I sang the famous aria of the Queen of the Night (Der Hölle Rache), which was a great challenge for me, as I had been studying it for less than a month. I only very recently discovered my highest range, which the piece requires. I feel very happy that I was able to unlock the notes beyond the high D, which allowed me to try new repertoire this summer, such as Queen of the Night, Olympia (by Offenbach), and Cunegonde (by Bernstein). The preparation of the Queen’s aria was well underway, so when I was asked to suggest pieces for the concert, I included it in my repertoire, thinking I would have time to bring it to a satisfactory level.
And did you manage to bring it to where it needed to be?
The other participants had known for a long time which pieces they would sing in the concert, while I was informed that I would sing the Queen of the Night on the first day of the program. This fact, combined with being the youngest there, created an insecurity for me, which I was easily able to overcome thanks to my mentors.
So, everything went well? Thomas Hampson told me that the good thing about this concert is that you have the luxury of not performing well without it having consequences for your career, but rather helping you see where you made a mistake.
In the lessons, I was very pleased, and I even did well in the live masterclasses, as well as in the first rehearsal with the conductor. In the first rehearsal with the orchestra, however, I was very disappointed; it was as if my high “friendly” notes had abandoned me, I couldn’t control them. I felt great shame, mainly that I would disappoint my mentors. I was very grateful that they trusted me to sing something so difficult, even though they knew it would be the first time I would sing this aria. I didn’t want them to regret it. The same happened in the general rehearsal. Everyone claimed that this happened because I was too determined to do well and was putting too much pressure on myself. This certainly played a big role too.
So you were stressed.
I remember that a few hours before the concert, the mentors gathered us to give us final instructions. They emphasized that they would be proud of us, no matter what happened in the concert. I specifically remember them looking at me at that moment. They encouraged me quite a bit. So, before the concert, I locked myself in my dressing room and tried to understand what I had done differently those two days before the orchestra rehearsals. I experimented to see if the notes needed more air, support, or legato. Then I thought that I needed to understand if I had the same problem in another aria. I tried Olympia’s aria. I had no problem. I realized that I was trying to “create” my sound, to sound like a Queen, angry, forgetting that this aria, in particular, needs a light sound. In the end, I went on stage, constantly telling myself, “Elina, sing lightly, as you sing Olympia, but with an angry look.” Until the last moment, I didn’t know if it would work. I succeeded, the high F came. Unfortunately, in my over-effort to correct these points, I made several tonal errors that I would not have made under other circumstances.
Ultimately, how did you evaluate the experience?
If you ask me if I regret putting that aria on the list then, I would probably say no. It was a wonderful experience to sing that aria with such a professional orchestra. At the same time, however, it wasn’t perfectly ready. I felt like I reached my limits. If I had waited a little longer, it would have “settled more in my body.” You have to master this aria, to be able to sing it even “hanging upside down,” as one of my teachers used to say. In such a well-known aria, everyone has very specific expectations, especially for those high notes, as the melody is globally recognizable. Unfortunately, however, many times we don’t see how virtuosic the rest of the aria is. But that’s how it is with all famous roles.
Did you get any useful feedback from your mentors?
On the last day of the program, many participants went to ask for final advice from the mentors. The truth is, I didn’t go; I hesitated. I knew myself that my concert wasn’t perfect. I left with a slight feeling of defeat, which I shouldn’t have felt, though, as I gained so much just by being there, among these people who truly cared about us. Time passed so quickly there. But it will remain unforgettable.
Elina Santova
Elina Santova was born in Moscow in 2000 and grew up in Thessaloniki. She is a graduate (2022) of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki from the Opera Department, with a perfect 10 under Professor Akis Laloudis, and the Singing Department, with a perfect 10 under Professor Eni Kini. Since 2023, she has been studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Singing Department, with Professor Mardi Byers.
She has participated in masterclasses with Linda Watson, Stephanie Weiss, and Roberta Cunningham (AIMS, Graz 2025), Myrsini Margariti and Dimitrios Vezyroglou (Greek National Opera, Rhodes 2025), Myrto Papathanasiou and Nikolas Vasileiou (15th Lefkada Music Week 2021), Phillippe Forget (State Conservatory of Thessaloniki 2017). She was a finalist in Elīna Garanča’s “ZukunftsStimmen” competition (2024), and has received the 1st “Voice Expert” Award in the MEDICI International Music Competition (2021) and the 1st Vocal Award in the Panhellenic Orpheus Music Competition (2020).
In 2024, she received a Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Opera.
