The school launched in 2011 with musical faculty members including Lisa Gasteen AO, John Fisher, Giovanni Reggioli, Margaret Baker-Genovesi, Sharolyn Kimmorley AM and Jill Stoll.
[citation needed] UK-based psychotherapist and expert on psychogenic dysphonia (voice problems due to emotional mismanagement) Phiroze Neemuchwala was a member of the non-musical faculty.
Gasteen came out of retirement to raise funds for the inaugural summer school, performing in a fundraising concert with Australian-born international conductor Simone Young.
[7] In 2012, The Lisa Gasteen National Opera School saw the return of guest coaches John Fisher, Giovanni Reggioli and Sharolyn Kimmorley and the addition of Sigfried Jerusalem and Philip Mayers to the music-teaching staff.
German opera agent and advisor Manuela Kursidem was also in attendance at the school to provide first-hand advice to students wishing to sing in Europe.
They were joined by bass, and former colleague of Gasteen, Robert Lloyd and repetiteur Richard Hetherington, a member of the permanent music staff at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.