International Artists Selected for 2026 Merola Opera Program

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 more than 1,500 international applicants to participate in its 2026 program.

This year’s cohort of participants hail from Australia, China, South Korea, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom, as well as across North America including United States, Mexico, and Canada. 

This year, Merola received a record-breaking number of applicants, reflecting the program’s growing visibility and appeal. The surge in submissions underscores the strength of the community and the impact of Merola’s work. 

Public performances for the 2026 Merola Summer Festival will be announced in the spring. The public can find more information about the 2026 participants.

The 2026 Merola Opera Program artists include:

Sopranos  

Shannon Crowley, Virginia Beach, Virginia 

Adia Evans, Baltimore, Maryland 

Charlotte Kelso, Adelaide, Australia  

Abigail Raiford, Tulsa, Oklahoma 

Jennifer Robinson, Lakeland, Florida 

Emilie Kealani, San Francisco, California 

Anna Thompson, Rochester, Michigan

Mezzo-Sopranos 

Theo Claveles, Lebanon, Connecticut 

Katherine Dobbs, Appleton, Wisconsin 

Stella FitzGerald, Austin, Texas 

Ariana Maubach, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tenors 

Chester Seungyup Han, Seoul, South Korea 

Ryan Bryce Johnson, Muleshoe, Texas 

Cole McIlquham, Osseo, Wisconsin 

Matthew Sink, Las Vegas, Nevada 

Charles Styles, Tamworth, United Kingdom 

Logan Wagner, Villa Hills, Kentucky

Baritones  

Paul Jang, Seoul, South Korea 

Enes Pektaş, Mersin, Türkiye 

Bass 

Theo Harrah, Louisville, Kentucky 

John Mburu, Atlanta, Georgia 

Raúl Morales Velazco, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico 

Pianists/Coaches  

Sakurako Jayne Abe, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

Eric Head, Fairmont, Minnesota  

Deven Shah, Erie, Pennsylvania 

Tony Stauffer, Montreal, Québec, Canada 

Yue Qi Zhang, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China 

Stage Director