Academy of Vocal Arts

The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) is a private, post-baccalaureate opera school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of 2023, the AVA does not grant degrees, but rather Artist Diplomas to those who complete the full four-year course requirement. It is the only tuition-free institution in the world devoted solely to operatic training and performance. The school was founded in 1934 by Helen Corning Warden.

Notable alumni include Lando Bartolini, Harry Dworchak, and Ruth Ann Swenson. The institution maintains a Hall of Fame for Great American Opera Singers which The Opera Quarterly described as equivalent to the kammersänger title in Europe.