Soprano Kendra Berentsen, "Resplendent with ripe vocal coloration and seemingly effortless power..." (Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle) posseses a "burnished amber tone and dynamic command," "A silvery soprano tone and faultless diction..." (San Francisco Chronicle), singing “effortlessly in the stratosphere" (San Francisco Classical Voice),  Ms. Berentsen returned to the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera Center in 2018 singing Leïla in Les Pêcheurs de Perles in the Schwabacher Concert under the baton of Kathleen Kelly, Massenet’s Thaïs in the Merola Grand Finale under the baton of Dean Williamson, and covered Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress.  In 2018 the Shoshana Foundation awarded Ms. Berentsen the Richard F. Gold Career Grant for the Merola Program.  In 2017, she was featured in The Schwabacher Concert as Baby Doe in under the baton of Anne Manson as well as Marie in La Fille du Regiment for the Grand Finale under the baton of Anthony Walker.  She also covered Serpina in La Serva Padrona.