Merola Opera Program to Conclude Summer Festival with Grand Finale
he Merola Grand Finale will be presented 7:30pm, Saturday, August 16, 2025, at the War Memorial Opera House.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jun. 26, 2025
The Merola Opera Program 2025 Sumer Festival will reach its peak with the Merola Grand Finale, featuring all 26 Merola artists in a dazzling array of opera’s most brilliant works and lesser-known musical gems.
Conducted by Kelly Kuo who previously led Merola’s 2022 production of The Magic Flute and the 2023 Grand Finale and directed by San Francisco native Elio Bucky, Merola’s 2025 stage director, this electrifying event marks the culmination of a remarkable summer. All 2025 Merolini come together on stage for one final, unforgettable evening. Featuring the San Francisco Opera Center Orchestra and performed in the grandeur of the War Memorial Opera House, this thrilling concert showcases opera’s rising stars in a breathtaking program of arias and ensembles.
Audiences are invited to witness the next generation of operatic talent before their careers soar to the world’s greatest stages in this joyous celebration of artistry, passion, and the future of opera. A reception with the artists is held immediately following the performance (additional ticket required - $85). The Merola Grand Finale will be presented 7:30pm, Saturday, August 16, 2025, at the War Memorial Opera House.
The young artists performing are:
Meg Brilleslyper, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Mezzo-Soprano)
Elio Bucky, San Francisco, California (Stage Director)
Sadie Cheslak, Duluth, Minnesota (Mezzo-Soprano)
Brian Cho, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (Pianist/Coach)
Ariane Cossette, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Soprano)
Ruby Dibble, Kansas City, Missouri (Mezzo-Soprano)
Benjamin Dickerson, Milton, Vermont (Baritone)
Alexa Frankian, Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Soprano)
Sofia Gotch, Oakland, California (Soprano)
Chea Kang, Deokso, South Korea (Soprano)
Wanchun Liang, Shijazhuang, Hebei Province, China (Bass-Baritone)
Minghao Liu, Qingdao, Shandong, China (Tenor)
Eva Rae Martinez, Doylestown, Pennsylvania (Soprano)
Ariana Maubach, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Mezzo-Soprano)
John Mburu, Warwick, Road Island (Bass)
Brian McCann, Freehold, New Jersey (Pianist/Coach)
Gabriel Natal-Baez, Toa Alta, Puerto Rico (Baritone)
Joeavian Rivera, Orlando, Florida (Baritone)
Deven Shah, Erie, Pennsylvania (Pianist/Coach)
Charlotte Siegel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Soprano)
Tzu Kuang Tan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Pianist/Coach)
Tristan Tournaud, Nashville, Tennessee (Tenor)
Anna Maria Vacca, Providence, Rhode Island (Mezzo-Soprano)
Justice Yates, Leesburg, Florida (Bass-Baritone)
Dain Yule Yoon, Seoul, South Korea (Pianist/Coach)
Jin Yu, Jiangsu, China (Tenor)
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