Welcome to the
Merola Opera Program
Est. 1957
Welcome to the online home of the Merola Opera Program! I invite you to explore the sixty-plus years of Merola’s history defining the future of opera. We are unique among opera programs in that our primary focus is on training and developing the finest young opera singers, coaches, and stage directors from around the world. Our professional level opera productions and concerts are all a part of the world-class training process. Whether you are an artist seeking to apply to the program or an opera lover looking to go behind-the-scenes and join our vibrant community of supporters, you will find a wealth of resources here.
Hope to see you at Merola!
Jean Kellogg
Executive Director of the Merola Opera Program
Merola by the numbers
Each summer, approximately 23 singers, 5 apprentice coaches and 1 apprentice stage director are selected from nearly one thousand international applicants to participate in the Merola Opera Program. During their 12 weeks at Merola, these talented young artists receive life-changing instruction from a faculty of opera masters and hone their talents in professional quality productions – all entirely free of charge.
1,000
International Applicants
650
Auditions each Year
29
Artists each Summer
63
Years of Opera Training
#MeroliniMixer
“Three Wishes of the Rose" by Huang Li
Zhengyi Bai (Merola ’18) brings us our May 2021 #MeroliniMixer with this beautiful, expressive performance of “Three Wishes of the Rose,” a Chinese art song by Huang Zi, in his native language. In addition to being the #MeroliniMixer, this is part of Zhengyi's Bai Canta series where he sings and performs on piano.
The #MeroliniMixer was created by Merola alumni to produce and share performances as a thank you to the Merola Artists Emergency Fund which was established to offer financial assistance and help these wonderful artists continue to make music during the COVID-19 crisis.
2021 Merola Summer Festival
The summer includes master classes, a recital, digital project, and Merola Grand Finale.
Merola Artists Emergency Fund
Help recent Merola Artists continue to make music during the COVID-19 Crisis.
Latest News
Merolini Spotlight: Elena Lacheva ('12) and Ana Maria Otamendi ('11)
For our April 2021 Merolini Spotlight we feature two of our illustrious alumni, Elena Lacheva (Merola ’12) and Ana Maria Otamendi (Merola ’11). They are the co-founders of the Collaborative Piano Institute. Lacheva serves as the Program Director and Otamendi serves as Artistic Director of the organization which spotlights the needs of the next generation of inspiring collaborative pianists.
In this spotlight feature, we learn what first sparked these artists’ interest in opera, the highlight of their Merola summers, what inspired them to create the Collaborative Piano Institute, and what they can’t make it through the day without. Watch it now!
Support the Stars of Tomorrow
Join a vibrant community of opera lovers devoted to nurturing tomorrow's finest operatic talent.
