John Donahue

The cast of the opera is waiting at a train station. They are all happy to reveal their identities but certainly not what is in their baggage. A puppeteer who lives at the station attempts to control and manipulate the passengers.

After debuting its first-ever commissioned work in the program's history last season, San Francisco's acclaimed Merola Opera Program, one of the most prestigious and selective opera training programs in the world, returns with a new group of rising opera stars for its 63rd season.

This week Cape Town Opera announced the appointment of Marvin Kernelle as the new Cape Town Opera Chorus Master. Kernelle succeeds Albert Horne, who is now Chordirektor and Dirigent at Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Germany.