Rising opera talent to be showcased in Schwabacher Summer Concert (Jul. 31 & Aug. 2)

MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM PRESENTS
SCHWABACHER SUMMER CONCERT: IT’S COMPLICATED – LOVE & OPERA
7:30pm, Thursday, July 10 & 2:00pm, Saturday, July 12 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (21 May 2025) — Bay Area audiences are invited to revel in the sheer joy of opera as the 2025 Merola Opera Program artists present an unforgettable evening of vocal fireworks and lush melodies. Selected from nearly 1,300 international applicants, these rising talents represent the next generation of opera stars. Conducted by William Long, who makes his Merola debut at the podium, the performance will feature the San Francisco Opera Center Orchestra under his baton, with stage direction by Omer Ben Seadia (Merola ‘14) and Elio Bucky (Merola ‘25). The program features extended scenes from Donizetti’s Il Campanello, Roberto Devereux, Anna Bolena, and Don Pasquale, along with a foray into the tender love duet from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, and the powerful confrontation scene between Zia Principessa and the title character in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, which culminates in Angelica’s devastating aria, “Senza mamma.” Celebrating the expressive power of the human voice with passion, elegance, and flair, the Schwabacher Summer Concert: It’s Complicated – Love & Opera will be presented 7:30pm, Thursday, July 10 and 2:00pm, Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak St., San Francisco. For more information or to purchase tickets ($68, $38, $18 (ages 25 and under)), the public may visit merola.org or call the San Francisco Box Office at 415-864-3330.

“This concert is an extraordinary opportunity for Merola’s brilliant summer cohort to take the stage with power and passion. The program, thoughtfully curated by San Francisco Opera Center Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson, reflects her deep commitment to nurturing the whole artist and showcasing the depth and diversity of operatic storytelling,” said Sean Waugh, Executive Director of the Merola Opera Program. “It’s a celebration of emerging talent and the vibrant future of opera.”

The Merola artists featured in Schwabacher Summer Concert: It’s Complicated – Love & Opera include sopranos Ariane Cossette (Canada), Alexa Frankian (Canada), Chea Kang (South Korea), and Charlotte Siegel (Canada); mezzo-sopranos Sadie Cheslak (USA), Ruby Dibble (USA), and Anna Maria Vacca (USA); tenors Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono (New Zealand), Wesley Harrison (Canada), Tristan Tournaud (USA), and Jin Yu (China); baritones Gabriel Natal-Baez (Puerto Rico) and Joeavian Rivera (USA); and bass-baritones John Mburu (USA)  and Justice Yates (USA).

ABOUT CONDUCTOR WILLIAM LONG

William Long is a Grammy Award–winning conductor acclaimed for his dynamic interpretations and versatility across opera and symphonic repertoire. In 2024, he received the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for his work on Terence Blanchard’s Champion at The Metropolitan Opera. Long has conducted major productions at leading institutions, including the world premiere of Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, as well as Carmen at Washington National Opera. He made his debut with the London Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican and has served as Cover Conductor with the ensemble since 2020, assisting conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Gianandrea Noseda, and John Wilson. His recent engagements include returning to The Metropolitan Opera for a new production of Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar and making his Carnegie Hall debut conducting The Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble. He has also undertaken cover assignments with the San Francisco Symphony and Detroit Opera. Long has held key roles at San Francisco Opera, serving as Assistant Conductor on productions including Lohengrin, Arabella, Hänsel und Gretel, Così fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, and the world premiere of John Adams’ Antony and Cleopatra. From 2013 to 2018, he was Assistant Conductor at Opera Parallèle, where he prepared productions such as Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, and Philip Glass’ Les Enfants Terribles.

ABOUT DIRECTOR OMER BEN SEADIA

Director Omer Ben Seadia (Merola ‘14) is known for her inventive, thoughtful, and socially conscious productions. She worked with Israeli Opera for more than a decade. garnering a reputation for classic repertoire. Beginning in 2012, she began to work extensively in the United States, and has since won praise for developing and promoting new opera all over the world. Past appearances include Portland Opera, Curtis Institute of Music, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Chautauqua Opera Company, Houston Grand Opera, Calgary Opera, Utah Opera, Cincinnati Opera, The Florentine Opera, The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Aspen School of Music and Festival, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Opera Colorado, Wolf Trap Opera, Atlanta Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Santa Barbara, and Tulsa Opera, among others. Ben Seadia is deeply committed to the development and training of young artists and has taught acting for the Houston Grand Opera Studio and Young Artist Vocal Academy (YAVA), the Ryan Opera Center (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Santa Fe Opera, the Merola Opera Program, Rice University, the International Vocal Arts Institute (IVAI), the Canadian Vocal Academy Institute (CVAC), the Aspen Music Festival, and the Dandelion Opera Institute.

ABOUT ELIO BUCKY

San Francisco native Elio Bucky (Merola ‘25) is an innovative opera stage director and projection designer whose work emphasizes plurality, truth, and creative exploration. With a foundation as a singer and composer, Bucky brings a multidisciplinary approach to opera, blending traditional narratives with contemporary perspectives. In the 2024–2025 season, Bucky serves as the Glynn Studio Stage Director at The Atlanta Opera, assisting on productions such as Rent, La Bohème, The Magic Flute, Macbeth, Siegfried, and Semele. They also reunite with conductor John Morris Russell to direct Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Wolf Trap Opera artists. As a projection designer, Bucky’s work was featured in Ana María Martínez’s Noche Española recital at Rice University and in Die Fledermaus at Binghamton University. Bucky’s recent directorial projects include La Bohème at the Butler Opera Center, Song Re-Imagined—a multimedia recital at the same institution—and The Gonzales Cantata at Northwestern University. They have also contributed as an assistant director to productions like Proving Up and Les contes d’Hoffmann. Bucky has also participated in prestigious programs such as the Wolf Trap Opera Directing Fellowship, Music Academy of the West, and Chautauqua Opera Conservatory.

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.

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS

WHAT: Bay Area audiences are invited to revel in the sheer joy of opera as the 2025 Merola Opera Program artists present an unforgettable evening of vocal fireworks and lush melodies. Selected from over 1,300 international applicants, these rising talents represent the next generation of opera stars. Conducted by William Long, who makes his Merola debut at the podium, the performance will feature the San Francisco Opera Center Orchestra under his baton, with stage direction by Omer Ben Seadia (Merola ‘14) and Elio Bucky (Merola ‘25). The program features extended scenes from Donizetti’s Il Campanello, Roberto Devereux, Anna Bolena, and Don Pasquale, along with a foray into the tender love duet from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, and the powerful confrontation scene between Zia Principessa and the title character in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, which culminates in Angelica’s devastating solo aria, “Senza mamma.”

WHEN: 7:30pm, Thursday, July 10, 2025

2:00pm, Saturday, July 12, 2025

WHERE: San Francisco Conservatory of Music Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall

50 Oak St., San Francisco

TICKETS: $68, $38, $18 (ages 25 and under)

Ticket buyers can save 10 percent when purchasing tickets for all four productions* in the 2025 season. Ticket discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Group Sales can be contacted at 415-621-4403.

*Discount is valid through June 25, 2025. All four performances must be purchased at the same time. The discount does not include the Merola Grand  Finale Reception and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

INFO: For more information or to order tickets, please visit merola.org or call the San Francisco Box Office at 415-864-3330. The box office is open Monday, 10:00am-5:00pm, and Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am-6:00pm (Saturday phones only). The Group Sales office is open Monday, 10:00am-5:00pm, and Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am-6:00pm.

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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/schwabachersummerconcert2025/