San Francisco’s acclaimed Merola Opera Program, one of the most prestigious and selective opera training programs in the world, launches its 61st season offering audiences a look at the opera stars of tomorrow. Some of opera’s greatest moments will come to life as Merola’s young artists perform staged scenes from Vanessa, Il tabarro, Don Giovanni, and Les pêcheurs de perles in the Schwabacher Summer Concert. With performances in English, Italian, and French (with supertitles), the Schwabacher Summer Concert will be conducted by Kathleen Kelly (Merola 1991/1992), the first woman and first American named as Director of Musical Studies at the Vienna State Opera. Kelly returns to San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program where she was an apprentice coach. It will be directed by Aria Umezawa (Merola 2016), currently completing her second year as a San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow – the first stage director awarded this fellowship in 15 years.

For information or to order tickets visit http://merola.org or call the San Francisco Opera Box Office at 415-864-3330. The box office is open Monday, 10am-5pm, and Tuesday through Friday, 10am-6pm.