Arijeet Sensharma of Falls Church is attending Washington National Opera’s Opera Institute at American University, a competitive pre-professional training program in the vocal arts. Sensharma is a junior at George Mason High School and was selected out of hundreds of teenagers across the U.S. and abroad to receive one of 30 positions in the program. Since June 23, he has joined fellow aspiring musicians in Washington, D.C. to study from internationally acclaimed opera professionals.

These students live on the campus of American University for the extent of the three-week program. During their time students learn from WNO staff members, American University music faculty, and other opera professionals. They receive personalized vocal instruction as well as lessons in opera history, acting, Italian diction, and movement. These skills are a crucial part of collegiate music school and conservatory education, giving these students an advantage when applying to such programs.

The WNO Opera Institute concludes this Saturday, July 12, when the students will perform on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, a free event which will also be streamed live on the Kennedy Center’s website at kennedy-center.org. The performance begins at 6 p.m.

Additionally, the students will perform an opera scenes recital, free and open to the public, this Friday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at the Katzen Arts Center at American University.