2008 Merola Summer Productions
May 15, 2008
July 6 2008: Free Schwabacher Summer Concert
July 8 2008: Schwabacher Summer Concert
July 18-20 2008: Albert Herring
August 1-3 2008: Don Giovanni
August 16 2008: Merola Grand Finale
Tickets go on sale today for the Merola Summer productions. San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program is an 11-week intensive training program for singers, coaches, and stage directors. Previous Merolini include Ruth Ann Swenson, John Relyea, William Burden, Norah Amsellem, and Carol Vaness.
This year's participants are (via Janos Gereben):
Apprentice Stage Director
Jimmy Smith, Rumson, New Jersey
Apprentice Coaches
Dennis Doubin, Moscow, Russia
Eileen Downey, Grand Ledge, Michigan
Alan Hamilton, Houston, Texas
Carl Pantle, Oakley, California
Allen Perriello, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
Sopranos
Kate Crist, Agency, Iowa
Leah Crocetto, Adrian, Michigan
Rena Harms, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Joélle Harvey, Richburg, New York
Amanda Majeski, Gurnee, Illinois
Ellen Wieser, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Mezzo-Sopranos
Nicole Birkland, Moorland, Iowa
Natasha Florez, Los Angeles, California
Renée Tatum, Carlsbad, California
Tenors
René Barbera, San Antonio, Texas
David Lomelí, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Tyler S. Nelson, Salt Lake City, Utah
Nathaniel Peake, Humble, Texas
James Benjamin Rodgers, Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand
Baritones
Young Joo An, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Eugene Chan, Rohnert Park, California
Austin Kness, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Darren Perry, Frederick, Maryland
David W. Pershall, Temple, Texas
Bass-Baritones
Adam Cioffari, Columbus, Ohio
Carlos Monzón, Guadalajara, Mexico
Basses
Benjamin LeClair, Royal, Iowa
Ben Wager, Havertown, Pennsylvania
Press Release [PDF] | Merola Official Site | Summer Productions