2020

A Very Merola Holiday Recital

Virtual Recital

Celebrate the holiday season with Merola alums Maria Valdes, Alice Chung, Casey Candebat, Christian Pursell, and Ronny Michael Greenberg. The program includes an eclectic mix of music by Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Liszt, Gounod, and Puccini along with holiday classics.​

American soprano Maria Valdes was recently described as a "first-rate singing actress and a perfectly charming Gilda" (New York Times). An award-winner in the regional Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, Ms. Valdes is also the winner of the top prize at the Corbett Opera Scholarship Competition and recipient of a Shoshana Foundation Grant.

Recently awarded the 2020 Richard F. Gold Career Grant by the Shoshana Foundation, Korean-American mezzo-soprano Alice Chung has been praised for being a "force of nation" (SFCV) and "soaring with impressive power" (KC Metropolis). Ms. Chung has sung with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Central City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Tulsa Opera, and the Merola Opera Program. At Merola, she was featured in the Schwabacher Summer Concert and Merola Grand Finale.

Casey Candebat, a tenor hailing from New Orleans, is quickly garnering the attention of opera companies around the country. Recently, he performed in Matthew Aucoin's new opera, Eurydice, with The Metropolitan Opera in New York. He is a frequent performer with New Orleans Opera, Kansas City Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and Opera Grand Rapids.

Hailing from the Santa Cruz mountains of California, bass-baritone Christian Pursell is quickly establishing himself as a rising star among the next generation of singers. Following a critically acclaimed performance of Dandini in La Cenerentola with the Merola Opera Program (2017), Mr. Pursell performed numerous roles as an Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera.

Pianist, Opera Coach and Producer, Ronny Michael Greenberg is a leading innovator in the world of performing arts. A native of Montreal, he has toured internationally performing in opera houses and concert halls including the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, the Vienna Konzerthaus, Carnegie Hall, Montreal’s Place des Arts Theater, and across Italy, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Greenberg is a full time member of San Francisco Opera’s Music Staff.

Tickets are $25 for individuals and $40 for households. A limited number of $80 VIP tickets are available that include a virtual reception with the artists. Tickets are on sale now.

Maria Valdes (Merola ‘13), soprano

Alice Chung (Merola ‘17/’19), mezzo-soprano

Casey Candebat (Merola ‘12/’14), tenor

Christian Pursell (Merola '17), bass-baritone

Ronny Michael Greenberg (Merola ‘14), piano

Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 4:00 pm PST

Individual Ticket $25
Household Ticket $40
VIP Ticket $80 (includes virtual reception)

This recital is generously sponsored by Jennifer and Chris Brahm.

Maria Valdes is generously sponsored by Bob and Terri Ryan.

Alice Chung is generously sponsored by Patrick Wilken and David Dickson.

Casey Candebat is generously sponsored by Bernice Lindstrom.

Christian Pursell is generously sponsored by Peter and Jayne Davis.

Ronny Michael Greenberg is generously sponsored by Barbara Bruser and Richard Clark.

Ticket purchasers will receive a link to view the event on Zoom in advance of the event on December 12.

Portions of this recital will be pre-recorded for the purpose of this original broadcast.

Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice

Virtual Recital

Hailed for possessing a voice of extraordinary beauty, a seamless legato and great dramatic depth, American soprano Karen Slack has appeared with The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, and San Francisco Opera. Slack, a 2002 alumnus of Merola Opera Program, has been the winner of numerous competitions and has performed in opera houses around the world. Catch her in recital on Sunday, February 7, 2021 as part of the Merola Virtual Recital Series.

Mary Pinto, an acclaimed accompanist and vocal coach, has worked with international opera singers and major American opera companies for the past 25 years. Among those she's worked with is Deborah Voigt (Merola '85).

Tickets are $25 for individuals and $40 for households. A limited number of $80 VIP tickets are available that include a virtual reception with Karen Slack after the performance. Tickets are on sale now.

Karen Slack (Merola '02), soprano

Mary Pinto, piano

Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 4:00 pm PST

Individual Ticket $25
Household Ticket $40
VIP Ticket $80 (includes virtual reception)

Karen Slack and Mary Pinto are generously sponsored by James Cross and Charles Antonen.

Ticket purchasers will receive a link to view the event on Zoom in advance of the event on February 7.

Merola Online Enrichment

In case you missed it, catch up on Merola Opera Program's inaugural Master Chat series hosted by Sheri Greenawald with questions from the 2020 young artists. The Master Chats featured opera and performing arts luminaries including Susan Graham (Merola '87), Francesca Zambello, David Garrison, Eun Sun Kim, and Gregory Henkel. Listen to these fascinating discussions now on Merola's YouTube channel: YouTube.com/merolaoperaprogram.