Director Omer Ben Seadia has become known for her inventive, thoughtful, and socially conscious productions.

The director has led production at some of the leading theaters in the world including the Israeli Opera, Portland Opera, Curtis Institute of Music, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Chautauqua Opera Company, Houston Grand Opera, Calgary Opera, Utah Opera, Cincinnati Opera, The Florentine Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Opera Colorado.

She has also become an advocate for the development and training of young artists and has taught acting for the Houston Grand Opera Studio and Young Artist Vocal Academy (YAVA), the Ryan Opera Center (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Santa Fe Opera, the Merola Opera Program, Rice University, the International Vocal Arts Institute (IVAI), the Canadian Vocal Academy Institute (CVAC), the Aspen Music Festival, and the Dandelion Opera Institute.

But before she embarked on this successful career, much of Seadia’s most impactful training came as a Merola Opera Program fellow in 2014 as an apprentice director. Seadia credits the experience at Merola as giving her “permission to see myself as a director in a real, professional sense — and to carry myself that way.” She also credits numerous mentors who helped her grow as an artist and professional, including Sheri Greenawald.

Now she is back at Merola as the Director of the Schwabacher Summer Concert for the fourth year, getting an opportunity to give back to an experience that meant so much. OperaWire had a chance to speak with Seadia about her beginnings at Merola and what she aims to accomplish this summer at the program.

OperaWire: What programs will you be working on this summer with Merola, and can you tell me more about your role?

Omer Ben Seadia: I’m the Director of the Schwabacher Summer Concert, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be in this role. This is my fourth year directing the program, and it’s truly one of my favorite events at Merola. It’s such an exciting opportunity to showcase a wide range of operatic repertoire, and what’s really special is how we design it around the strengths and qualities of the singers who join us each summer. It’s truly tailor-made for them — for their voices, their artistry — and that makes it a fun and rewarding challenge. In this program, I get to direct scenes from a wide variety of operas, spanning different languages and styles. It becomes this really fascinating artistic experiment: how much richness and variety can we bring together in a short amount of time? This year’s program leans into some thrilling bel canto repertoire — we’re diving into powerful scenes from “Anna Bolena” and “Roberto Devereux.” We’re also playing comedy in Il campanello and “Don Pasquale” and offering some beloved classics like “Roméo et Juliette” and “Suor Angelica.” It’s a fantastic mix that gives both our performers and our audiences the chance to experience so many different musical styles in a single evening.

In addition to directing the Schwabacher Summer Concert, I also mentor our apprentice director each summer — a position I’m passionate about. Merola is one of the few programs that offers this kind of hands-on training for young opera directors. I was an apprentice director myself at Merola 11 years ago, so it’s especially meaningful to now be mentoring in that role for the second year in a row. This summer, our apprentice, Elio Bucky, will be directing a scene from Don Pasquale as part of Schwabacher, in addition to directing the Merola Grand Finale. It’s such a valuable opportunity — not only do they get to direct a scene, but they also receive direct mentorship throughout the process. That kind of feedback is rare in our field. Directors are often isolated, and we don’t always get a lot of coaching on our own work. So, creating space for that kind of development is something I care deeply about. In school, you might spend six months preparing one opera, but this program is much closer to the pace of the real world. The quick turnaround, the need to manage multiple singers and scenes at once — demands that you work efficiently, think creatively, and communicate clearly. It’s glorious chaos. It’s a real test of your directing instincts, and such a dynamic way to grow as an artist.

OW: What does the Merola Opera Program mean to you as an alum? What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Merola?

OBS: I was lucky enough to be at Merola back in 2014 as the apprentice stage director. I had just finished my degree in opera directing at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and came straight to San Francisco — it was my first professional opportunity in the U.S. after training in Israel, and it was such a meaningful transition point for me. That summer was so much more than just training. What stood out most was the way I was treated — not just as a student or an apprentice, but truly as an artist. I felt like I had something to contribute, something worth saying, both in the rehearsal room and in the larger opera community. That kind of vote of confidence meant everything to me. It gave me permission to see myself as a director in a real, professional sense — and to carry myself that way. I got amazing hands-on experience, both through Merola itself and working with San Francisco Opera. I couldn’t be more grateful for that time.
What’s also stayed with me are the connections I made during that summer. So many people from my Merola class are now dear friends and colleagues — people I continue to collaborate with at companies like Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Opera Colorado, and of course San Francisco Opera. That shared foundation is something special, and the Merola family truly is something that sticks with you. It shapes your artistic language, your collaborations, and thanks to groups like the Amici, you also feel that ongoing support, year after year. For me, Merola has become an artistic home.

I came back to the Bay Area in 2022 to start working with the San Francisco Opera Adler Program as their resident acting coach, and I’ve since returned to direct at Merola. It honestly feels like coming full circle — like returning to that artistic home. What’s especially meaningful now is that I get to work with the Merolini during the summer and then continue that relationship in the Adler program. That kind of long-term, evolving collaboration is so rare and valuable. One memory that stands out from my time as an apprentice was actually before the singers even arrived. I came in a week earlier with the pianists, and that group — I still work with so many of them regularly. I have a photo of us all having lunch that first day, and it’s so great to look back on. They’ve gone on to incredible careers, and they’re not just colleagues, they’re close friends. We’ve worked together at some of the biggest opera houses in the country, and I learned so much from them during that summer. That bond — that shared beginning — is something I’ll always treasure.

OW: How did Merola help shape your career, and what does it mean to return to a creative and artistic leader role?

OBS: I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of Merola — it was such a pivotal experience for me. One of the most impactful parts of the summer was the opportunity to meet and work with amazing professional colleagues who were brought in to coach and collaborate with us. Ari Pelto, Roy Rallo, and José María Condemi were just a few of the people I met during that time, and they were instrumental in launching my career. They were the ones who gave me my first major directing job in the industry. Being able to meet and work with them at Merola wasn’t just inspiring — it laid the foundation for the professional opportunities that followed.

I also distinctly remember working with Sheri Greenawald. Her approach left a deep impression on me. She encouraged us to think about what it means to be a thoughtful citizen of the world — not just about how to direct opera from a technical standpoint, but about who we want to be as artists and as people. Coming right out of school, where so much of the focus is on technique, it was refreshing — and honestly a little revolutionary — to be asked to think about the kind of impact I wanted to have on the world. That perspective really shaped how I think about my work even now. Returning to Merola in a creative and artistic role feels incredibly meaningful. What excites me about the direction Merola and San Francisco Opera are taking now is the strong emphasis on humanity — on a holistic approach to artistry. Of course, the level of talent at Merola is exceptional. You’re working with the best of the best — singers, pianists, and directors from some of the top programs in the country and around the world. But what’s truly special is that Merola isn’t just focused on technical training — it’s about helping people grow as artists and as people.

That kind of support and intentional development is necessary right now. The industry is hungry for artists who are not only great technicians, but who have something to say — who want to be a positive force in the world. Being part of a program that prioritizes that vision — and getting to contribute to it — is incredibly rewarding.

OW: How do you plan to support the young artists at Merola, and what are you looking forward to working with them?

OBS: A lot of the work I do in the Schwabacher Scenes Program goes beyond just directing the scenes — a major focus is on acting technique. We really dig into what it means to be a singing actor, and how that changes depending on the repertoire. It’s about helping the artists build practical tools they can use across a wide range of styles — not just for the scenes we’re staging, but for whatever they’ll encounter next in their careers. My goal is to give them skills they can take with them — whether they’re going back to an educational program, launching a professional career, or continuing the Adler program. Just today, I was in a coaching session with current Adlers, and we referred to a scene from Schwabacher last summer, to the program she is doing now — that’s how interconnected
the experience becomes. One of the unique things about Merola and San Francisco Opera is the continuity we’re able to build. We start to develop a shared language during the summer, and then we carry that forward — through the Adler program, future productions, or even in other professional companies. I recently ran into some former Merolini at LA Opera, and we picked up right where we left off. That artistic conversation we start at Merola keeps growing with them.

One of the most rewarding parts of this work is when an artist reminds me of something I said in a rehearsal years ago — something that stuck with them and helped shape their process. That kind of long-lasting impact is what I’m really looking forward to continuing this summer.

OW: What advice would you give young artists who are looking to do young artists programs?

OBS: I think back to my very first day at Merola we spoke about earlier – 11 years ago when I arrived early with the pianists. That afternoon, we had lunch, and then I went straight to work with Mark Morash. Later that day, I sat down with Sheri Greenawald for a one-on-one meeting, and she asked, “What would you like to accomplish this summer?” The question threw me off. Up until that point, I had always been in environments where people told me what I was supposed to do — what I should be learning or achieving. That moment shifted something for me. It made me realize how important it is, as a developing artist, to start thinking in that way every time you step into a young artist’s program, a show, or educational institution. Don’t think like a student who’s waiting to be told what to do.

Begin to ask yourself: What do I want to get out of this experience? What do I need to grow as an artist? That’s the real turning point — when you start taking responsibility for your own artistic development. Of course, mentors and teachers will guide you — and sometimes it’s incredibly valuable to be pushed outside your comfort zone — but at the end of the day, you must be an active participant in your own growth. Be honest with yourself about what’s missing from your education. What are the areas you need to improve on? What kind of access or experience do you still need?

That’s actually the first question I ask when I interview potential apprentice stage directors for Merola: What do you hope to get out of this program? What is it that you feel you need as a developing artist? It helps us determine not only whether Merola is the right fit for them, but also how we can best support that growth. It becomes a kind of creative thought experiment: How do you want to emerge from the experience? And how can we help shape that path?

Directors especially come into this profession at so many different points in their trajectory, and I’m passionate about creating opportunities for directors to train, especially because there are so few programs out there that offer this kind of hands-on experience. It’s been meaningful for me to be able to join the process early and help shape what that journey can look like. Sometimes we know right away what someone needs; other times, we figure it out together.

Of course, most of the credit goes to my colleagues who sit through all the auditions for singers and pianists — they have a truly tough job! For directors, we only have one slot each year, so every decision is incredibly intentional.