FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEROLINI DOMINATE AT 2014 MET NATIONAL COUNCIL AUDITIONS LIVE WEBCAST OF WINNERS STREAMED ON WQXR

TODAY AT 4 P.M. PST Current Mero !n! "u !e A#$%& $n# A%$n#$ Woo#'ur( $n# Mero $ A u%n! Y! L! $n# Ao L! C$)ture Four o* F!+e To) S)ot& SAN FRANCISCO, A)r! 1, 2014 Four of five winners of 2014 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the nations ost presti!ious vocal co petition, are associated with Merola Opera "ro!ra # $opranos %ulie Ada s and A anda &ood'ur( were )ust announced as participants in the 2014 "ro!ra * tenor +i ,i participated in Merola in 2012* and 'ass-'aritone Ao ,i was in Merola in 2010# A we'cast of the winners perfor in! a live concert of varied operatic repertor( at .he %ero e ,# /reene "erfor ance $pace at WQXR will 'e 'roadcast toda( at 4 p# # 0ach winner of the 2014 Metropolitan National Council Auditions will receive a 112,000 cash pri3e and the career-launchin! e4posure that co es with winnin! this presti!ious award# One of the worlds ost acclai ed (oun! artist trainin! pro!ra s, the Merola Opera "ro!ra has served as a provin! !round for thousands of artists who affectionatel( called it 5opera 'oot ca p# Founded in 1627, the pro!ra provides an intensive 12-wee8 itinerar( of aster classes with opera lu inaries as well as trainin! in voice, forei!n lan!ua!es, operatic repertor(, diction, actin! and sta!e ove ent# Coaches wor8in! with the 2014 (oun! artists include &arren %ones, %ane 0a!len, 0ric Owens, $teven 9lier and Carol :aness# Merola is the onl( (oun! artist pro!ra to provide financial support to developin! artists for five (ears followin! participation# ;n the past (ear alone, ore than 1120,000 was distri'uted to ore than 100 artists supportin! varied needs fro coachin! to lan!ua!e classes to audition travel# ;n additon, onl( Merola !raduates are considered for participation in the $an Francisco Operas Adler Fellowship pro!ra # "ast Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition participants who are also Merola alu ni include $usan /raha <Merola 16=7>, .ho as ?a pson <Merola 16=0>, "atricia @acette <Merola 16==> and Ae'orah :oi!t <Merola 16=2># .o watch the we'cast on WQXR, New +or8 Cit(s all-classical station, clic8 here#

For ore infor ation a'out Merola and a full season calendar, please visit www# erola#or! or call <412> 221-B266# P-OTO CREDIT Fro left, the tenor +i ,i* the soprano %ulie Ada s* the 'ass "atric8 /uetti* the soprano A anda &ood'ur(* and the 'ass-'aritone Ao ,i '( @e'ecca Fa( of Metropolitan Opera PRESS AND MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT Caren A es Co unications Caren A es 8arenD8arena es#co Cristin $chellin!er 8ristinD8arena es#co <412> B41-7474 Merola Mar8etin!, "@ and 0vents Associate Cell( $epich 8sepichDsfopera#co <412> 221-B266 EEE ,ed artisticall( '( $an Francisco Opera Center Airector and internationall( acclai ed soprano $heri /reenawald, the Merola Opera "ro!ra is an independent nonprofit or!ani3ation which operates in colla'oration with the $an Francisco Opera# Founded in 1627 and na ed for $an Francisco Operas founder, /aetano Merola, the "ro!ra is reco!ni3ed as one of the ost presti!ious operatic trainin! pro!ra s in the world# .he Merola Opera "ro!ra t(picall( receives ore than =00 applications for appro4i atel( 26 positions# .hrou!hout the su er, the Merola artists participate in aster classes and private coachin!s with opera lu inaries# "articipants who include sin!ers, apprentice coaches and an apprentice sta!e director also receive trainin! in operatic repertor(, forei!n lan!ua!es, diction, actin! and sta!e ove ent#