International Artists Selected for 2026 Merola Opera Program
This year’s cohort of participants hail from Australia, China, South Korea, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom, as well as across North America.
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
Claire Choquette, Edmond, Oklahoma
Videos
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The Play That Goes Wrong Hillbarn Theatre (4/23-5/17) |
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Anastasia the Musical Douglas Morrisson Theatre (5/22-5/31) |
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Macbeth Santa Cruz Shakespeare (7/12-8/30) |
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Comedy Oakland at Quinn's Lighthouse Sun May 17 7pm Quinn's Lighthouse (5/17-5/17) |
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Back to the Future The Musical San Jose Center for the Performing Arts (6/02-6/07) |
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DRACULA ORINDA STARLIGHT VILLAGE PLAYERS (9/04-9/26) |
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3GT Presents: ...and Cotton by Maria Jenson iMPACt Center for Art & Dance (5/31-5/31) |
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An Evening with a Mentalist: Jay Alexander's Mind Tricks Live San Francisco Magic Theater (w/Jay Alexander) at the Marrakech (6/05-6/07) |
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TILT: Midnight Sun Grace Cathedral (6/20-6/20) |
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Miss California''s Teen 2026 William Saroyan Theatre Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center (6/18-6/19) |
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