Executive Director- Merola Opera Program

The Merola Opera Program (Merola), one of the world’s most
respected opera training programs, is seeking an Executive Director
to lead the organization into the future with energy, ingenuity,
and passion. Working closely with a committed Board of Directors,
the San Francisco Opera Center artistic leadership team, and
dedicated staff, Merola’s Executive Director will be responsible
for carrying out a mission focused on defining the future of opera
through the highest standards of artist training and support of
emerging opera artists. As the chief steward and public ambassador
of the organization, the Executive Director will be guided by the
principles of excellence and service and motivated by a goal of
setting Merola up for success in perpetuity through a strategic
focus on major resource development (endowment, cash reserves, and
annual revenue). Merola’s Executive Director will be a bridge
builder between the San Francisco Opera Center, which is
responsible for planning and executing the full artist training
experience, and Merola’s dedicated Board of Directors who are
committed to providing the next generation of opera artists with
the resources and skill necessary to launch and sustain successful
careers. A full position description may be found here: https://mcaonline.com/searches/executive-director-merola
 

Organizational Profile
One of the oldest
and most prestigious opera training programs in the world, the
Merola Opera Program’s mission is to define the future of opera.
Merola was founded in 1957 when Kurt Herbert Adler, San Francisco
Opera’s second General Director, envisioned a training program that
would allow young artists to hone their craft in the United States,
rather than forcing them to go to Europe, and that would also serve
as a living memorial to his predecessor, Gaetano Merola, who was an
ardent supporter of young American singers. In the more than six
decades since, Merola has grown from a 4-week program for 14
singers from the Western United States with two principal
instructors to a 12-week program for 23 singers, five
pianist/coaches, and one stage director (all referred to as
Merolini) from all around the world with a faculty of nearly 30
internationally recognized artists. More information is available
at Merola Opera Program’s website at https://merola.org/.