Operatic education plays a central role at the Department of Voice | Opera. From the students' first term, vocal training, the study of operatic roles and Lied repertoires, and acting complement each other. The students learn to grasp and understand the meaning of musical / musico-dramatic works. They are taught how to make use of vocal and dramatic skills in order to present thoughts and emotions to an audience – be it in performances of Lied, concert repertoire, or opera. The training is holistic and studies the body's expressive possibilities, uniting voice, gesture, and movement. A main focus is the the preparation and performance of operatic works at the University's studio theatre, and in co-operation with theatres and orchestras from across Thuringia.