Our Secret to 6 Decades of Success
International opera artists mentoring young professionals
Career building advanced training and performance opportunities
Merola offers a unique combination of training and performance opportunities during the twelve week all-expenses paid summer program. This training program includes fully staged operas with orchestra, a scenes concert, and the Merola Grand Finale Concert, which concludes the summer. These experiences in front of a live audience put into practice the depth and richness of the lessons learned over the program.
Merola participants receive matchless advanced training in musical style and interpretation, role preparation, movement and acting, accompaniment and conducting, languages and diction, breath work, and professional development.
Our Renowned Faculty
Our renowned faculty, many of whom return year after year to impart their invaluable wisdom to the next generation, has included Stephen Blier, Régine Crespin, Alan Darling, Jane Eaglen, Hans Hotter, Martin Katz, Warren Jones, Lotfi Mansouri, Malcolm Martineau, James Morris, Leontyne Price, Donald Runnicles, Graziella Sciutti, Elisabeth Söderström, Patrick Summers, Dame Joan Sutherland, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, and Carol Vaness.
Continuing support for career development
All artists are eligible for Career Grants (up to $6,000 in a given year and up to $12,000 total) for five years after their Merola summer. These grants, for everything from audition travel to headshots to vocal coaching, help the young artists transition to the professional opera world.
Some artists participate in the program for a second summer and a select few become Adler Fellows with San Francisco Opera. Merola artists graduate from the program with a clearer idea of what their next steps will be musically, artistically, and technically as they pursue their careers in opera.