San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious operatic training programs in North America, enrolls only 23 singers, five apprentice coaches and one technical director – out of nearly 800 applicants – in its summer program.
And for 2016, three singers are alumni of Fredonia’s School of Music.
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| Mary Evelyn Hangley | Boris Van Druff | Kyle Van Schoonhoven |
“This is truly extraordinary. Acceptance into the Merola program is one of the highest honors a young professional singer can receive,” said Gerald Gray, director of Choral Activities at Fredonia. Even having one alumni accepted into the program is an honor, Dr. Gray noted, but having three in one year is rare for even the most elite conservatories.
The three Fredonians who will be immersed in coaching, training and performance at Merola for 11 weeks, beginning June 6, are:
• Mary Evelyn Hangley, ’12, Music Education, soprano, of Long Beach, N.Y. Ms. Langley studied under Angela Haas and Gwendolyn Detwiler at Fredonia, as well as at Florida State University and Brevard Music Center.
• Boris Van Druff, ’10, Music Performance, tenor, of Olean. Mr. Van Druff studied under Dr. Gray at Fredonia, as well as at Eastman School of Music, University of Tennessee and Knoxville Opera Studio.
• Kyle Van Schoonhoven, ’11, Music Education, tenor, of Lockport. Mr. Van Schoonhoven studied under Dr. Gray and Delia Wallis at Fredonia, as well as at Westminster Choir College, Sarasota Opera, Opera North, Opera New Jersey and Opera Slavica. He had the additional honor in December 2015 of being one of the Buffalo/Toronto District winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions held in Buffalo. Van Schoonhoven was also accepted into the Virginia Opera residency program program for the run of its 2017 production of “Der Freischutz,” where he’ll be covering the role of Max.
The Merola Summer Festival will feature the Schwabacher Summer Concert, staged performances of Conrad Susa’s “Transformations” and Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” and the Merola Grand Finale.
Affiliated with the San Francisco Opera, Merola is dedicated to seeking out the finest young opera talent and helping them develop into professional artists of the highest caliber. Tuition, housing and travel expenses of the participants are paid by Merola, and a living stipend is also given. Additionally, all graduates are eligible for career grants to assist them with the transition into the professional opera world.
The Merola Opera Program was founded in 1957 and bears the name of Gaetano Merola, the first general director of the San Francisco Opera.
