Merola Opera Program announces 28 selected artists for 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (17 December 2024) – One of the most prestigious opera training programs in the world, San Francisco’s acclaimed Merola Opera Program has selected 28 artists from a pool of nearly 1,300 international applicants to participate in its 2025 program. This year’s cohort of participants hail from China, Malaysia, New Zealand, and South Korea, as well as across the United States and Canada.

“We are thrilled to welcome these exceptionally talented artists for what promises to be a remarkable summer,” said San Francisco Opera Center Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson and General Manager Markus Beam (Merola ’02). “The 2025 Merola participants will benefit from an immersive program that includes musical, dramatic, and linguistic training from our world-renowned faculty. In addition, they’ll be provided with training in leadership skills, mental and physical wellness, financial literacy, and career management. Our mission is to deliver comprehensive training for our artists, empowering them with the skills and resources needed to build a sustainable and successful career in the arts.”

“We are excited to welcome this extraordinary group of artists to San Francisco for a summer of transformative growth,” said Merola Executive Director Sean Waugh. “As they embark on this journey, they join a thriving community of over 1,700 distinguished alumni and hundreds of passionate supporters who are united by a shared dedication to the future of opera. Merola not only equips artists with technical mastery, leadership skills, and resilience but also provides a lifelong network of peers and mentors, ensuring participants’ success in an ever-evolving opera landscape.”

Public performances for the 2025 Merola Summer Festival will be announced in the spring. The public can find more information about the 2025 participants, including bio highlights and headshots at merola.org.

The 2025 Merola Opera Program artists include: