Alek Shrader joins Merola Opera Program senior staff

MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM APPOINTS
ALEK SHRADER
AS DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (10 June 2025) — The Merola Opera Program has appointed internationally renowned tenor, director, and 2007 Merola alum Alek Shrader as its new Director of Membership & Engagement. Known for his acclaimed performances with San Francisco Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Philadelphia, among others, Shrader joins the senior leadership team alongside the recently announced appointment of Bella Mello as Director of Operations & Events, both under the direction of Executive Director Sean Waugh.

A celebrated artist, director, filmmaker, storyteller, and arts administrator, Shrader rose to national attention through the award-winning Metropolitan Opera documentary “The Audition.” He has made over a dozen appearances at San Francisco Opera, including a recent, critically praised performance in Partenope (2024). He returns this summer in Idomeneo, appearing alongside his wife and fellow Merola alum, mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack. Upcoming directing engagements include Così fan tutte at Opera San Jose and a directing residency with the Manetti Shrem Opera Program at Festival Napa Valley.

Shrader brings to Merola a unique combination of storytelling and strategic fundraising experience. Most recently, he served as Annual Giving Officer at San Francisco Opera, leading donor communications and digital engagement. His prior experience includes roles with Arizona Opera and the University of Notre Dame, as well as creative work including the publication of his graphic novel adaptation of Carmen.

In his new role, Shrader will lead Merola’s membership program, enhance donor engagement and stewardship, and elevate the organization’s visibility through storytelling and alumni activation.

“Alek embodies the spirit of Merola—he knows firsthand the transformative power of this program,” said Executive Director Sean Waugh. “His strategic mindset, creativity, and personal connection to Merola make him an ideal partner as we strengthen our community and advance our vision.”

Shrader joins the senior team alongside Bella Mello, Merola’s Director of Operations & Events, who was appointed in February 2025. Mello brings extensive experience in event planning, nonprofit operations, and cross-departmental collaboration.

ABOUT ALEK SHRADER 

American tenor Alek Shrader has developed an outstanding reputation both for his beautiful lyric vocalism and his expressive characterizations. He has appeared with many of the world’s most prestigious opera companies including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Canadian Opera Company, Opera de Oviedo, Bayersische Staatsoper, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Opera de Lille, Opera National de Bordeaux, Theatre du Capitole de Toulouse, and the Salzburg and Glyndebourne festivals.

His many roles include Alfredo in La Traviata, Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Lindoro in L’Italiana in Algeri, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore, Tonio in La Fille du Regiment, Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Oronte in Alcina, Jupiter and Apollo in Semele, Emilio in Partenope, David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Camille in The Merry Widow, Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, the title roles in Candide and Albert Herring, Tony in West Side Story, and Ferdinand in Ades’s The Tempest.

He is also set to appear as Arbace in Idomeneo with the San Francisco Opera. As a concert singer, Shrader has appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Also, an avid recitalist, Shrader has been presented by Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Performances, the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA, Oberlin College, and at the Wigmore Hall in London.

Shrader is also a stage director, making his directorial debut in 2019 with a production of Dido & Aeneas as part of the Greenwood Cemetery’s acclaimed performance series “Concerts in the Catacombs.” Other directing credits include the University of Notre Dame, where he served as Artistic Director of Opera ND and voice teacher, and Charlottesville Opera. He will next direct Opera San Jose’s production of Così fan tutte.

In other projects, Shrader co-wrote and co-directed “Mercy,” a film based on Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito with the Curtis Institute of Music. He then adapted and directed a second film with Curtis, “Triple-Sec & The Medium.” He partnered with the Arizona Opera to create a graphic novel of Carmen and is currently adapting The Barber of Seville into a toy theater with an illustrated libretto.

Shrader was awarded a Grammy as part of the cast of The Tempest in 2014 (Best Opera Recording). He was a winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was the recipient of a Sarah Tucker grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation. He is an alumnus of Merola Opera Program and the San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Adler Fellowship Program.

Most recently, Shrader held the position of Annual Giving Officer at the San Francisco Opera until accepting his current role as Director of Membership & Engagement with Merola Opera Program.

ABOUT BELLA MELLO

Bella Mello is a seasoned arts professional with over a decade of experience in event production, project management, and nonprofit operations. She most recently served as program manager for public programs at the Exploratorium, producing more than 100 events annually, including the museum’s acclaimed After Dark series. A former team member in both the artistic and philanthropy and audience departments at San Francisco Opera, Mello has led major cross-departmental initiatives at the intersection of programming, marketing, and community engagement. Her additional experience includes roles with the San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Bay Area, Canvas Ventures, and Sonder.

ABOUT THE MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM

The Merola Opera Program is widely regarded as the foremost opera training program for aspiring singers, pianists, and stage directors. Merola nurtures the opera stars of tomorrow through master classes and private coaching with opera’s most accomplished singers, coaches, conductors, and directors. Participants also receive training in operatic repertoire, languages, diction, acting, stage movement, and professional development. Offered free of charge to all participants, the Merola Opera Program is unique in the industry, providing a comprehensive curriculum with a strong emphasis on developing the “whole” artist. This includes personal and leadership development, financial planning, mental and physical wellness, as well as public relations and branding. It is the only young artist program to provide financial support to developing artists for five years following their participation, offering aid for essential career development expenses including coaching, language classes, and audition travel. Learn more at merola.org.

-30-

MEDIA: Paige D’Encarnacao, CBCO Public Relations & Marketing   paige@cb-pr.com | 415-570-2623

PHOTOS: Downloadable high-res photos are available here: https://cbpr.co/press/merolanewstaff