SFCM, Merola—and then the world. 

SFCM graduate Lindsay Martin ('22) spent her summer back at SFCM, this time at the prestigious Merola Opera program, which has been hosted by SFCM for years, and her next stop will be the stage at New York's Metropolitan Opera. 

SFCM graduate Lindsay Martin.

"Merola is very unique, because it challenges you to not only grow musically and artistically, but as a human as well," Martin says. "Merola Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson and Merola General Manager Markus Beam, their big motto is humans first, career second. They really take a holistic approach to thinking about this program and how they want us to feel coming out of it. That's a really rare thing with this level of instruction, especially in classical music and especially in opera." 

Because of SFCM and Merola's close ties to the San Francisco Opera, the Conservatory hosts a Merola performance in the summer before the final performance at SFO's War Memorial Concert Hall, this year taking place on August 17. Merola alumni who teach at SFCM include Rhoslyn Jones and Martin's teacher while at SFCM, Catherine Cook. Beloved SF opera icon César Ulloa, longtime voice faculty at SFCM, has taught at Merola for 18 years as well. The director of Merola's 2024 production of Don Giovanni at SFCM, Patricia Racette, stage-directed SFCM's 2023 production of Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul and has given masterclasses at the Conservatory as well.

Aside from musical technique, repertoire selection, and coaching, Merola provides a full "extra-musical training" faculty that teaches yoga, marketing and branding, hair and makeup, nutrition, mindset, and financial planning.

Martin stressed that her cohort this year (which includes fellow SFCM alum Nathan Bryon, '24) elevated the experience for her. "I feel very grateful to be around such like-minded people. I've met some lifelong friends here who all want the same thing out of this art."

In the program's final performance, Martin will perform a scene from Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking. It's a full-circle moment for her: Joyce DiDonato, who performed the aria in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Dead Man Walking last year, was the commencement speaker at Martin's graduation, at which Martin was chosen by her peers to deliver remarks. Heggie himself was the commencement speaker the following year, while DiDonato, like Patricia Racette, are both repped by Opus 3 Artists, the management company part of SFCM's musical alliance.

Speaking of the Met, Martin's next stop is the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, where, as part of the 2024-2025 season, she'll debut as Countess Ceprano in Barlett Sher’s production of Rigoletto.

Learn more about studying Opera and Musical Theatre at SFCM.