As the first stage of the San Francisco Opera’s training wing, the Merola Opera Program is an independent operation that feeds young artists into the company’s Adler Fellowships.
So for the couple dozen singers and vocal coaches who have arrived to spend an overstuffed summer in the Bay Area, there is plenty of operatic activity ahead, beginning with Benjamin Britten’s opera “The Rape of Lucretia” in July.
But first, there are songs to sing — specifically, a program curated by tenor Nicholas Phan in partnership with Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson. Titled “Metamorphosis: Recovery, Renewal, and Rebirth,” the program includes a musically diverse repertoire of songs touching on themes of development and change.
Among the composers represented are Aaron Copland, Alma Mahler, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Strauss and Errollyn Wallen. Performers include seven pairs of vocalists and pianists from among the current Merola crop.
Datebook Tips
Given its location at the eastern edge of Hayes Valley, just steps from Market Street, there is no shortage of dining options. Favorites that are all just a short walk away include, fast-casual American comfort food atCorridoror stick-to-your-ribs southern fare atHazel. For more of a tropical bent, there’s Kaya, chef Nigel Jones’ Jamaican eatery. For a taste of classic SF, there’s the one-and-onlyZuni Cafe, a Top 100 perennial. Fun-seeking carnivores might also want to consider Brazilian charascariaEspetus.