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. The Artist Diploma is designed to be the equivalent in standards to a Master of Fine Arts in Opera Performance (MFA). AVA is a tuition-free institution devoted solely to training and performance for opera. The school was founded in 1934 by Helen Corning Warden.

Notable alumni include Lando Bartolini, Ruth Ann Swenson, and Joyce DiDonato. 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.