Merolini

Meet the 2023 Young Artists

The Merola Opera Program has announced the 2023 season's 28 emerging artists, selected from more than 1,300 international applicants. These inspiring artists come from China, Costa Rica, South Korea, Taiwan, and Cuba, as well as across the U.S. and Canada. Explore the backgrounds of the 2023 Merola Opera Program participants below.

 

Veena Akama-Makia
Georgiana Adams
Voice Type: Soprano
Hometown: Wheaton, IL
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: The Juilliard School; DePaul University; Chautauqua Opera

    Teachers: Amy Burton, Rhoslyn Jones, Karen Delevan, Denyce Graves, Howard Watkins, Kayo Iwama, Marlena Malas

    Major Roles: Donna Anna (Don Giovanni); Contessa Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro); Lady Billows (Albert Herring); Venere (L'Orfeo); Dew Fairy (Hänsel und Gretel); Baker's Wife (Into the Woods); Chockolka (The Cunning Little Vixen); Bellezza (L'Egisto)

    Upcoming: Littler Zegner Sister (Proving Up); Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica); La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi)

    Awards: Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, New York District Winner; Cecelia Entner Scholarship; Casa Italia Vocal Competition Winner; Allen R. & Judy Brick Freedman Scholarship

    Interests: Cooking new dishes, listening to podcasts, thrift shopping, dancing

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Amanda Batista
Lucy Joy Altus
Voice Type: Mezzo-soprano
Hometown: New York, NY
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: The Juilliard School; Carnegie Mellon University; Mazzone Vocal Program

    Teachers: Elizabeth Bishop, Maria Spacagna, Catherine Mazzone

    Major Roles: Ramiro (La finta giardiniera); Un pâtre, La chatte, L'écureuil (L'enfant et les sortilèges); Sesto (Giulio Cesare)

    Upcoming: Priestess, Nymph, and Alto soloist (King Arthur); La Maestra della Novizie (Suor Angelica)

    Awards: The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, South Carolina District Winner and Southeast Region Encouragement Award; Music International Grand Prix Young Artist Voice Winner; Beethoven Young Musician Competition, 1st Prize; International Clara Schumann Competition, 3rd Prize; Les Music Es Du Centre France Music Competition 2nd Prize; Charleston International Music Competition, 1st Prize; Hal Leonard Vocal Competition, Honorable Mention

    Interests: My cat Copper, sports, psychology, eating ice cream, watching New Girl

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Cody Bowers
Tania Arazi Coambs
Artist Type: Director
Hometown: Champaign, IL
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    Merola Production: Merola Grand Finale

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Stage Director & Choreographer Foundation Observership Fellow, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh; The BMP: Producer Academy; Austrian American Mozart Academy, Scuola Italia Corso Lirico

    Teachers: Segun Ojewuyi, Tim Fink, Anne Fletcher, Peter Davis, Sylvia Stone, Richard Best, Cynthia Haymon-Coleman

    Major Productions: Roméo et Juliette; Don Giovanni; Farinelli and the King; The Tender Land; Trouble in Tahiti; Signor Deluso; Brundibár; Stop Kiss; The Informer; Feeding the Moon Fish; Catatumbo (an original opera by G. Candey & T. Arazi Coambs); Scenes from Our Past (a devised play), Stoplight (an original play by T. Arazi Coambs)

    Upcoming: Arsenic and Old Lace; Banned Stories (Andrew W. Mellon Public Humanities Project)

    Awards: The American Prize Opera Production Competition, 2nd place; The American Prize Stage Director Competition, 3rd place; Friederich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award Professional Art Song Division, Winner; Chicago Music Theater Award; National Opera Association Biennial Dissertation Competition, Winner

    Interests: Traveling, hiking, writing poetry, salsa dancing, and spending time with friends

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Le Bu
Juliette Chauvet
Voice Type: Soprano
Hometown: Avignon, France
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    Merola Role: Metamorphosis Recital; Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Pôle lyrique d’excellence; Music Academy of the West; Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo; Palau de les Arts; Musik und Kunst Universität Vienna; Gstaad Menuhin Festival

    Teachers: Cécile de Boever, Nils Neubert, Anna Pirozzi, Bill Schuman, Gerald Martin Moore, Susanna Phillips, Sasha Cooke, Mariella Devia, Plácido Domingo, Jaime Aragall, Edina Lloris, Sylvia Greenberg, Silvana Bartoli, Cecilia Bartoli

    Major Roles: Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro); Tatiana, (Eugene Onegin); Elle (La voix humaine); Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni); Prinz Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus)

    Upcoming: Recording (Respighi/Martucci); Art Song recital (Liszt/Berlioz); Baroque Opera orchestra concert (Rameau/Monteverdi/Haendel); Bel Canto Orchestra Concert (Norma/Il Trovatore)

    Awards: Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Illinois District Winner; NYIOP Anonymous Project German Repertoire, Winner

    Interests: Yoga, cooking, history of architecture, all the arts

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Andres Cascante
Nicole Marie Cloutier
Artist Type: Pianist/Coach
Hometown: White Lake, MI
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    Merola Production: Metamorphosis Recital

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Washington National Opera Cafritz Young Artist; Chautauqua Institution; The Juilliard School; Michigan State University

    Teachers: Lydia Brown, JJ Penna, Jonathan Feldman, Panayis Lyras, Michele Cooker

    Major Productions: American Opera Initiative Workshops at the Kennedy Center; Gianni Schicchi; Canto Vocal Program; The Rake’s Progress; Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor; Le nozze di Figaro

    Upcoming: Assistant Conductor, Blue, Washington National Opera; Assistant Conductor, American Opera Initiative at the Kennedy Center

    Awards: The Juilliard School Marcus Institute Vocal Piano Fellowship; Michigan State University, Trustee Board Award

    Interests: My French bulldog, “Ducky,” tarot reading, art galleries, dance, yoga, meditation

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Shawn Chang
Caroline Corrales
Voice Type: Soprano
Hometown: Saint Louis, MO
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    Merola Role: Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist; The Opera Institute of Boston University, Young Artist; Boston University; Webster University

    Teachers: Lynn Eustis, Nova Thomas

    Major Roles: Ma Zegner (Proving Up); Mary Crawford (Mansfield Park); Anne Trulove (The Rake's Progress); Featured soloist, The Boston Pops Symphony Holiday Pops Concert Series

    Awards: St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist Award; The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, New York District Winner; The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Boston District Winner and New England Region Encouragement Award; Orpheus Competition, 2nd Prize

    Interests: Art, fashion, film, chess, travel

    Merola Sponsor: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Edwin Jhamaal Davis
Eleomar Cuello
Voice Type: Baritone
Hometown: La Habana, Cuba
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Academy of the National Opera of Cuba

    Teachers: Manny Perez, Adolfo Casas, Maite Milian

    Major Roles: Valentin (Faust), Guglielmo (Cosí fan tutte), Belcore (L’elisir d’amore), Escamillo (Carmen), Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Mamma Agata (Viva la Mamma!), Schaunard (La Boheme), Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore), Silvio (Pagliacci)

    Upcoming: Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni); Belcore (L’elisir d’amore); Morales (Carmen); Gianni Schicchi (Gianni Schicchi)

    Awards: Emerging Artist Award Opera Index Competition; First Prize Gerda Lissner Competition: Second Prize Florida Grand Opera Competition Young Patronesses of the Opera; Second Prize Veronica Villarroel International Singing Festival Competition

    Interests: Cooking, traveling, hiking

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Daniel Luis Espinal
Daniel Luis Espinal
Voice Type: Tenor
Hometown: Sarasota, FL
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    School & Young Artist Programs: Merola Opera Program, Manhattan School of Music

    Teachers: Robyn Rocklein, James Morris, Shirley Close

    Major Roles: Tamino (Die Zauberflöte); Alfredo (La traviata)

    Upcoming: Male Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Interests: Hiking, cooking Cuban family recipes, baking

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Adia Evans
Joanne Evans
Voice Type: Mezzo-soprano
Hometown: London, UK
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    Merola Roles: Metamorphosis Recital; Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Opera Colorado Artist in Residence; Music Academy of the West Vocal Fellow; Bard College Conservatory; Manhattan School of Music; Guildhall School of Music and Drama

    Teachers: Daniel Belcher, Edith Bers, John Evans

    Major Roles: Olga (Eugene Onegin); Meg Page (Falstaff); Madame Flora (The Medium); Cherubino (I Due Figaro)

    Upcoming: Lucienne (Die Tote Stadt)

    Awards: Marylin Horne Song Competition Winner; Career Bridges Winner; Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Boston District Winner; Handel Aria Competition Winner

    Interests: Sewing, reading, working-out, hiking

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Gongming Jiang
Simona Genga
Voice Type: Mezzo-Soprano
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
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    Merola Roles: Metamorphosis Recital; Bianca (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Canadian Opera Company, Ensemble Studio; Highlands Opera Studio; Ravinia Steans Music Institute; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artist; Chautauqua Institute; Franz Schubert Institute; Opera Nuova, University of Western Ontario; University of Toronto

    Teachers: Wendy Nielsen, Liz Upchurch, Patricia Green, Stephane Mayer

    Major Roles: Carmen (Carmen); Olga (Eugene Onegin); Gertrude (Hänsel und Gretel); Berta (Il barbiere di Siviglia); Zweite Magd (Elektra); Annina (La traviata); Nettie Fowler (Carousel); Sister Helen (Dead Man Walking)

    Awards: Ruby Mercer Award; Christina and Louis Quilico Award, 3rd Place; The Sullivan Foundation Career Development Grant; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, District Encouragement Award; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Barbara and Stanley Richman Award; Canadian Opera Company Centre Stage Competition, 1st Place and Audience Choice Award; CBC’s “Top 30 Classical Musicians Under 30” List; University of Toronto, Norcop Song Recital Prize; The Hynatyshyn Foundation Career Development Award

    Interests: Cooking, Travel, Arts and Crafting, Poetry, Comedy

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring one of our Merola artists? View our sponsorship options.

Kevin Na Godínez
Kevin Godínez
Voice Type: Baritone
Hometown: San José, Costa Rica
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: University of Costa Rica Academy of Vocal Arts

    Teachers: Luis Ledesma; Maria Russo; Massimo Pezzutti; Rafael Saborío

    Major Roles: Giorgio Germont (La traviata); Marcello (La bohème); Schaunard (La bohème); Gianni Schicchi (Gianni Schicchi); Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni); Silvio (I Pagliacci); Der Vater (Hänsel und Grettel); Masetto (Don Giovanni)

    Award: Linus Lerner International Voice Competition, 3rd Place; Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, 2nd Place; Gerda Lissner Foundation, Zarzuela Division, 2nd Place

    Interests: Languages, Latino dances (Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Bolero), hiking and chess

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring one of our Merola artists? View our sponsorship options.

Julian Grabarek
Julian Grabarek
Artist Type: Pianist/Coach
Hometown: Acton, MA
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    Merola Production: Metamorphosis Recital

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: University of Michigan; Oberlin College and Conservatory; Aspen Music Festival; Collaborative Piano Institute; New England Conservatory Preparatory School

    Teachers: Martin Katz, Robert Shannon, Cameron Stowe, Thomas Bandy, James Howsmon, Angel Ramón Rivera, Marilyn Roth

    Major ProductionsThe Cunning Little Vixen; Don Giovanni

    Awards: Oberlin Conservatory Piano Faculty Prize in Accompanying

    Interests: Trivia, maps, hiking, new recipes, houseplants

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring one of our Merola artists? View our sponsorship options.

Shan Hai
Shan Hai
Voice Type: Soprano
Hometown: Beijing, China
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    Merola Roles: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Manhattan School of Music, Chautauqua Opera and Conservatory

    Teachers: Marlena Malas, Edith Wiens

    Major Roles: Zerlina (Don Giovanni); Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro); Eurydice (Orpheus in the Underworld); Romilda (Serse); Tytania (Midsummer Night’s Dream)

    Upcoming: Feu, Rossignol (L'enfant et les sortilèges); Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Winner Concert

    Awards: Manhattan School of Music Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition Winner

    Interests: Singing, reading, cooking, exercising, shopping

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Hyemin Jeong
Hyemin Jeong
Artist Type: Pianist/Coach
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
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    Merola Production: Metamorphosis Recital

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Palm Beach Opera Apprentice Artist; Manhattan School of Music; Chung-Ang University; Miami Music Festival; Cleveland Art Song Festival

    Teachers: Warren Jones, Ksenia Leletkina, Youngmi Lee

    Major Productions: Madama Butterfly, Così fan tutte, Carmen, Il barbiere di Siviglia, La bohème

    Upcoming: Music by the Sea; Music in the Mansion

    Interests: Playing board games, travel

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Zackry Chance Jonas-O’Toole
Chance Jonas-O’Toole
Voice Type: Tenor
Hometown: Dallas, TX
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    Merola Role: Male Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Merola Opera Program; The Juilliard School; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artist; Tanglewood Music Festival

    Teachers: William Burden, Sanford Sylvan

    Major Roles: Monostatos (The Magic Flute); Prince Ramiro (La Cenerentola); Jo the Loiterer (The Mother of Us All); Nebuchadnezzar (The Burning Fiery Furnace)

    Interests: Opera, song, oratorio, modern/contemporary music, film, gaming, hiking

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Samuel Kidd
Samuel Kidd
Voice Type: Baritone
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
 
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    Merola Roles: Metamorphosis Recital; Schwabacher Summer Concert, Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: LUniversity of Michigan; University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; Yale University; Music Academy of the West; Wolf Trap Opera

    Teachers: Gerald Martin Moore, William McGraw, Freda Herseth

    Major Roles: : Onegin (Eugene Onegin); Belcore (L'elisir d'amore); Harlekin (Ariadne auf Naxos); Falstaff (Falstaff); Krušina (The Bartered Bride); Jazz Trio (Trouble in Tahiti)

    Upcoming: Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Awards: Livingston Mather Competition, Winner

    Interests: Cooking, badminton, politics, chess

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

So ry Kim
So ry Kim
Voice Type: Soprano
Hometown: Daejeon, South Korea
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Ewha Womans University; G. Verdi Conservatorio di Milano

    Teachers: Jung un Kim, Demetrio Colaci

    Major Roles: Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor); Violetta (La traviata); Adele (Die Fledermaus); Donna Anna (Don Giovanni); Liù (Turandot); Mimì (La bohème); Adina (L’elisir d’amore)

    Awards: Gino Marinuzzi International competition, 2nd Place; P.Cappuccilli International Competition, 1st Place; Salvatore Licitra International competition, 2nd Place

    Interests: Yoga, wine, travel, tennis, art exhibition, contemporary art, The Bible

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Thomas William Kinch
Thomas William Kinch
Voice Type: Tenor
Hometown: Cardiff, Wales
 
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Opera School; Emerging Artist Dorset Opera; Associate Artist Welsh National Opera; Iford Arts Emerging Artist

    Teachers: Stephen Robertson, Raymond Connell, Dolora Zajick, Darrell Babidge

    Major Roles: Turridu (Cavalleria rusticana); Canio (Pagliacci); Cavaradossi (Tosca); Alfredo (La traviata); Sam Kaplan (Street Scene); Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly); Father Grenville (Dead Man Walking); Nadir (Pearl Fishers); Satyavan (Savitri)

    Awards: Associated Board Royal Schools of Music Scholarship; Dewar Arts Award

    Interests: Teaching, food/cooking, wine, weightlifting, gaming, board games, massage therapy, movies, hiking

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Natalie Lewis
Natalie Lewis
Voice Type: Mezzo-Soprano
Hometown: Severna Park, MD
 
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    Merola Roles: Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: The Juilliard School; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Aspen Music Festival; Houston Grand Opera Young Artists Vocal Academy; Opera Neo; American Institute of Musical Studies, Graz, Austria

    Teachers: Kevin Short, Stephen King, Renée Fleming, Elizabeth Bishop, William Hite

    Major Roles: Mistress Quickly (Falstaff); Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro); Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte)

    Upcoming: Zita (Gianni Schicchi); La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica); Carnegie Hall Debut, Alto Soloist with the Cecilia Chorus of New York

    Awards: New York District Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Winner; New England National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Winner; James Toland Vocal Competition Director's Award; Kovner Fellowship; Howard Lebow Award

    Interest: TV Shows, knitting and crocheting, going to Broadway shows, spending time with my little sisters

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Pei-Hsuan Tiana Lin
Pei-Hsuan Tiana Lin
Artist Type: Pianist/Coach
Hometown: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
 
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    Merola Production: Metamorphosis Recital

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: National Taiwan Normal University; Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University; University of Maryland; Aspen Music Festival and School

    Teachers: Rita Sloan, Eileen Cornett, Craig Kier, Kathleen Kelly, Alexander Shtarkman

    Major Productions: La bohème; Later the Same Evening; Die Zauberflöte; Così fan tutte; La rondine; The Hiding Tree; Pride and Prejudice

    Upcoming: Proving Up, SongStudio, Don Giovanni

    Awards: Sarah Zierler Prize in Accompanying and Clara Ascherfeld Award in Accompanying, Peabody Institute

    Interests: Dance, scuba diving, cooking, eating, Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

James McCarthy
James McCarthy
Voice Type: Bass-Baritone
Hometown: Pleasantville, New York
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    Merola Roles: Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Rice University; Eastman School of Music; Ohio Light Opera

    Teachers: Dr. Robin Rice and Dr. Jonathan Retzlaff

    Major Roles: Frank Maurrant (Street Scene); Il Commendatore (Don Giovanni); Thomas Brockwiller (The Mock Marriage); Lucas (The Student Prince); Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd); Maestro (Prima la musica e poi le parole); Masetto (Don Giovanni)

    Upcoming: Seneca (L'incoronazione di Poppea)

    Awards: Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition, First Place 2018; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions West Tennessee, Encouragement Award 2017; Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon Scholarship for the Arts 2009

    Interests: Hiking, libraries, new music, languages, time with friends and family

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.  
     

Cecelia Steffen McKinley
Cecelia Steffen McKinley
Voice Type: Contralto
Hometown: Sterling, VA
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    Merola Roles: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artist; Rice University; Institute for Young Dramatic Voices; James Madison University

    Teachers: Elizabeth Bishop, Laura Brooks Rice, Robin Rice, Dolora Zajick

    Major Roles: Zweite Magde (Elektra), Narciso (Agrippina); L’Ècureuil (L’enfant et les sortilèges); Alto Soloist, Mahler 2nd Symphony, Beethoven Symphony #9, Handel’s Messiah

    Upcoming: Fileno (Clori, Tirsi, e Fileno); Bubbe (Bubbe and the Demon); Sylvan (What the Spirits Show); Alto Soloist, Mendelssohn’s Elijah

    Awards: National Association of Teachers of Singing 1st place, National Lower College Women

    Interests: Yoga, cooking, thrifting

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Olivia Prendergast
Olivia Prendergast
Voice Type: Soprano
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
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    Merola Roles: Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Merola Opera Program, Indiana University, Northwestern University, Savannah Voice Festival

    Teachers: Heidi Grant Murphy, Timothy Noble, Karen Brunssen

    Major Roles: First Spirit (Die Zauberflöte); Lisette (La rondine); Clorinda (A Royal Feast); Romilda (Xerxes); Adele (Die Fledermaus); Lisa (Dog Days); Flora (The Turn of the Screw)

    Upcoming: Margarita (Ainadamar)

    Awards: The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Tennessee District Winner; JTVA Competition Director’s Award; National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) Voice Competition Bloomington Chapter, Larry Davis Memorial Award; NSAL Shirley Rabb Winston Scholarship in Classical Voice Competition, Encouragement Award

    Interests: British Murder Mysteries, tennis, musical theatre, exploring and traveling, church architecture, tea parties

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Deborah Robertson
Deborah Robertson
Artist Type: Pianist/Coach
Hometown: Springfield, MO
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    Merola Production: Metamorphosis Recital

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Merola Opera Program, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; Louisiana State University; Brigham Young University; Sewanee OperaFest; Collaborative Piano Institute; Young Artist Vocal Academy at Houston Grand Opera

    Teachers: Kathleen Kelly, Marie-France Lefebvre, Ana María Otamendi, Elena Lacheva, Scott Holden

    Major Productions: Fellow Travelers; Dialogues of the Carmelites; Magic Flute; Le nozze di Figaro

    Upcoming: Carmen

    Interests: Community concerts, popularizing opera/classical music, long walks, hosting dinner parties

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Cameron Rolling
Cameron Rolling
Voice Type: Baritone
Hometown: Waycross, GA
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    Merola Roles: Metamorphosis Recital; Junius (The Rape of Lucretia)

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: CUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City; Mercer University

    Teacher: Weston Hurt, Marie Jarriel Roberts

    Major Roles: Guglielmo (Così fan tutte)

    Awards: Classical Singer Magazine National Voice Competition, 1st Place; National Association for Negro Musicians, Regional Competition, 2nd Place

    Interests: Conducting choirs, Netflix, shopping

    Merola Sponsor: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Finnian Daniel Sagal
Finn Sagal
Voice Type: Bass-Baritone
Hometown: La Canada, CA
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    Merola Roles: Metamorphosis Recital; Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: University of California at Los Angeles; Yale School of Music

    Teachers: Juliana Gondek, Stephen King, Gerald Martin Moore

    Major Roles: Masetto (Don Giovanni); Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro); Nick Shadow (The Rake's Progress); Pluton (La descente d’Orphée aux enfers)

    Upcoming: Junius (The Rape of Lucretia); Tudor (Le Comte Ory)

    Awards: Opera Grand Rapids Competition, 2nd Place; John Alexander Vocal Competition, 3rd Place; Leiber and Stoller ASCAP 4-year Scholarship; Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, UCLA 4-year Scholarship; Michael Feinstein’s Songbook Academy, 1st Place

    Interests: Horror movies, watching basketball, Domino's Pizza

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Sahel Salam
Sahel Salam
Voice Type: Tenor
Hometown: Houston, TX
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    Merola Role: Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Merola Opera Program; Academy of Vocal Arts; Royal College of Music, London; University of Texas at Austin; Jerwood Young Artist, Glyndebourne Festival Opera; Music Academy of the West

    Teachers: Bill Schuman, William L. Lewis

    Major Roles: Ernesto (Don Pasquale); Alfredo (La traviata); Tamino (Die Zauberflöte); Rodolfo (La bohème); Duca di Mantua (Rigoletto); Fernand (La favorite); Vincent (Mireille); Der Italian Tenor (Der Rosenkavalier)

    Upcoming: Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor)

    Awards: Mario Lanza Competition Winner; Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Illinois District; Giargiari Bel Canto Competition Audience Prize Winner

    Interests: Professional soccer, frisbee, hiking, languages

    Merola Sponsor: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

Demetrious Dramon Sampson
Demetrious Dramon Sampson
Voice Type: Tenor
Hometown: Albany, GA
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    Merola Roles: Song Recital; Schwabacher Summer Concert

    Schools & Young Artist Programs: Georgia State University; Des Moines Metro Opera Apprentice Artist Program

    Teachers: Kathryn Hartgrove

    Major Roles: Crab Man (Porgy and Bess); Bostianello (Bostianello)

    Upcoming: Soloist, Undine Smith Moore’s, Scenes from the Life of a Martyr; Exigence

    Awards: Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Atlanta District Winner; Opera Index Emerging Artist Award; Schmidt Vocal Arts Undergraduate Competition, Encouragement Award

    Interests: World music, biology, chemistry, anime

    Merola Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring a Merola artist? View our sponsorship options.

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