A competitive, prestigious young artist program based in the medieval city of Urbino, Italy gave Alexandra Burch ’21 the first-hand experience to deepen her knowledge of the Italian language, culture, and opera. Just 16 emerging singing actors are accepted into the Musica nelle Marche program each year, making for an intensive, small group learning experience.

“Every day, we had four hours of Italian language class at a local university,” Burch, a vocal performance and music education alumna said. “After lunch, we walked to the local music school for vocal lessons, vocal coaching, staging rehearsals, Italian diction coaching, and choral rehearsals for upcoming performances.”

She worked with high-profile industry professionals, from directors and choreographers, to vocal coaches and performers.

The intense lessons and practices led to Burch performing two solo concerts. “I sang Violetta in a scene from La Traviata, by Giuseppe Verdi, and I performed the aria (solo) Prendi, per me sei Libero, from L'elsir D'amore by Gaetano Donizetti.”

“We performed fully staged and costumed scenes from operas.” Burch played Giulietta (Juliet) in I Capuleti e I Montecchi (The Capulets and the Montagues), by Vincenzo Bellini. The two-act Italian opera is Bellini’s version of Romeo and Juliet. She also played Giulia in the final scene from the one-act opera La Scala di Seta (The Silken Ladder) by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini.

Students also performed a choir concert with a local Urbino church choir.

The group experienced Italian art, history, and culture with weekend excursions to cities including Verona, Italy, the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “That was really neat, because I was playing Juliet,” Burch said. They took in an opera at the Verona Arena, the third largest Roman amphitheater in Europe, constructed in 30 AD.

The students enjoyed Italian cuisine, including wine tasting at an Italian vineyard, and they tried their hand at making homemade Italian pasta with locals. “On our free weekends, my friends and I visited the beach towns Fano and Pesaro. We had delicious seafood and soaked up the sun.”

Burch aspires to sing opera professionally or work in musical theatre. She is pursuing her Master of Music at DePaul University in Chicago.

While Urbino, Italy is a long way from La Crosse, Wis., Burch is grateful for Viterbo connections that open doors and provide opportunities for her to give back, perform, and continue to grow.

She recently returned to Viterbo to perform in a masterclass. It was a full-circle moment. Professor Emeritus Daniel Johnson-Wilmot was Burch’s Viterbo voice instructor. He is friends with Dr. Chuck Chandler, her voice instructor at DePaul.

“Looking back, I realize how Viterbo made it possible for me to make connections, even outside of school,” she shared. “Judy Stafslien helped me land my first voice job at Reed Music Studios when I was an undergraduate student.”

Professors from Viterbo and DePaul helped boost Burch’s confidence to audition for a role in Dark Sisters at DePaul. “It’s a small cast American opera,” she said. “I played the part of Lucinda. It’s a feminist lens on the Fundamentalist Mormon Church.”

Burch’s hard work and dedication are often rewarded. She earned first and third place at the Schubert Club Student Scholarship Competition (2022 and 2023 respectively), and second place at the 2022 National Student Auditions.

Chicago’s lively entertainment hub is one avenue for this West Salem, Wis. native to showcase her talent. She and a friend perform gigs singing pop, rock, and jazz tunes. On top of that, Burch continues to audition for young artist programs and theatres. Recently, she started teaching private voice lessons for the Cantabile School of Voice and Piano. “I have a lot of new students I am excited to work with.”

One fun fact: Burch and her parents, both Viterbo alumni, all studied with the same voice teacher, Daniel Johnson-Wilmot. Her mom was a vocal performance major and her dad completed his degree in business.