Michael Spyres is an American operatic

baritenor Baritenor (also rendered in English language sources as bari-tenor or baritenore) is a portmanteau (blend) of the words "baritone" and "tenor." It is used to describe both baritone and tenor voices. In ''Webster's Third New International Dictionar ...

. He is particularly associated with the

bel canto Bel canto (Italian for "beautiful singing" or "beautiful song", )—with several similar constructions (''bellezze del canto'', ''bell'arte del canto'')—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing. The phrase was not associat ...

repertoire, especially the works of

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...

, and heroic roles in French grand opera.

Biography

Michael Spyres was born in 1979 in

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, US, and studied singing at the

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university located in Vienna, established in 1817. With a student body of over three thousa ...

, Austria. He won acclaim and international recognition for his performance in the title role of Rossini's ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. Th ...

'' at the Rossini in Wildbad festival in Germany in 2008. He made his debut at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

, Milan, in Rossini's '' Il viaggio a Reims'' in 2009 and appeared the same year in the extremely demanding leading role of Raoul in Meyerbeer's ''

Les Huguenots () is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer and is one of the most popular and spectacular examples of grand opera. In five acts, to a libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work suc ...

'' at

Bard SummerScape Bard SummerScape is an annual eight-week-long arts festival held during the months of June, July, and August at Bard College. Since its inaugural season in 2003, the festival is held in tandem with the Bard Music Festival and features performances ...

in New York. Since then, his career has taken him to the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

, London, in the title role of

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

's '' Mitridate, Re di Ponto'', to the Teatro Comunale, Bologna and La Monnaie,

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

as Arnold in Rossini's '' Guillaume Tell''., to

Opéra National de Bordeaux This is a glossary list of opera genres, giving alternative names. "Opera" is an Italian word (short for "opera in musica"); it was not at first ''commonly'' used in Italy (or in other countries) to refer to the genre of particular works. Most c ...

for the title role in Berlioz' '' La Damnation de Faust'' and to the Liceu,

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

, in the title role of Jacques Offenbach's '' Les Contes d'Hoffmann'', among many other engagements both in concerts and staged operas. Spyres won widespread praise for his performance of the role of

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...

in Meyerbeer's ''

L'Africaine ''L'Africaine'' (''The African Woman'') is an 1865 French ''grand opéra'' in five acts with music by Giacomo Meyerbeer and a libretto by Eugène Scribe. Meyerbeer and Scribe began working on the opera in 1837, using the title ''L'Africaine'', bu ...

'' at the Oper Frankfurt in 2018. He sang the title role in a new production of Adolphe Adam's '' Le postillon de Lonjumeau'' at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief rival, the Comédie-Italienne ...

in Paris in March 2019. Spyres made his debut at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

, New York, in the title role of ''La damnation de Faust'' in 2020. His many recordings include Berlioz's ''

Les Troyens ''Les Troyens'' (; in English: ''The Trojans'') is a French grand opera in five acts by Hector Berlioz. The libretto was written by Berlioz himself from Virgil's epic poem the ''Aeneid''; the score was composed between 1856 and 1858. ''Les Tro ...

'' (title role of Énée), ''Requiem'', '' Les nuits d’été,'' La damnation de Faust'','' Rossini's ''Otello'', ''Guillaume Tell'' and '' Le siège de Corinthe'' for

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...

, ''Les Huguenots'' for

American Symphony Orchestra The American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski whose mission is to demystify orchestral music and make it accessible and affordable for all audiences. Leon Botstein is the orchestra's m ...

and the solo album ''Espoir'' for

Opera Rara Opera Rara is a London-based opera company and recording label which specialises in recording and performing forgotten operatic repertoire from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1970 by bel canto enthusiasts Patric Schmid and Don Whi ...

. Michael Spyres is the artistic director of Springfield Regional Opera, US.

References

Selected recordings

Gaetano Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the '' bel canto'' opera style dur ...

, '' Le Duc d'Albe,'' Michael Spyres, Henri de Bruges, Angela Meade, Hélène d'Egmont, Laurent Naouri, Le Duc d'Albe, Sandoval, David Stout, Opera para Chorus, Hallé Orchestra, conducted by Sir Mark Elder. 2 CD Opera rara 2015 *

Hector Berlioz In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

'',

,'' Joyce DiDonato- Didon,

Marie-Nicole Lemieux Marie-Nicole Lemieux, C.M., C.Q. (born June 26, 1975) is a Canadian coloratura contralto. In 2000, she became the first Canadian to win first prize at the Queen Elizabeth International Music Competition in Belgium. Lemieux has continued to p ...

- Cassandre,

Stéphane Degout Stéphane Degout (born 9 June 1975 in Bourg-en-Bresse) is a contemporary French baritone. He grew up in Saint-Jean-de-Niost (Ain) and has been living in Lyon since 1995. Biography Trained at the lycée Saint-Exupéry in Lyon, the Conservatoir ...

- Chorèbe, Michael Spyres- Enée, Cyrille Dubois- Iopas, Mariane Crebassa- Ascagne,

Nicolas Courjal Nicolas Courjal (born 18 January 1973) is a French operatic Bass (voice type), bass. Life Born in Rennes, Courjal studied the violin at the . In 1995, he entered Jane Berbié's singing class. He then performed at the Opéra-Comique and the H ...

- Narbal, Les Chœurs de l'Opéra National du Rhin, Badischer Staatsopernchor, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, conducted by John Nelson. 4 CD + 1 DVD Warner 2017. Diapason d'or, Choc de Classica. * Hector Berlioz, ''Requiem,'' Michael Spyres, ténor, London Philharmonic Choir,, Philharmonia Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by John Nelson. 2 CD + 1 DVD Erato 2019. Choc de Classica. * Hector Berlioz, '' La Damnation de Faust,'' Michael Spyres- Faust, Joyce DiDonato- Marguerite, Nicolas Courjal- Méphistophélès, Alexandre Duhamel- Brander, Les Petits Chanteurs de Strasbourg, Maîtrise de l'Opéra National du Rhin, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, conducted by John Nelson. 2 CD + 1 DVD Warner classics 2019. Diapason d'or. * Hector Berlioz, ''

Benvenuto Cellini Benvenuto Cellini (, ; 3 November 150013 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. His best-known extant works include the ''Cellini Salt Cellar'', the sculpture of ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'', and his autobiography ...

,'' Michael Spyres, Benvenuto Cellini, Sophia Burgos, Teresa, Maurizio Murano, Balducci, Adèle Charvet, Ascanio, Lionel Lhote, Fieramosca, Tareq Nazmi, le pape Clément, Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, directing Noa Naamat, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. 1 DVD Château de Versailles spectacles 2019 * Charles Gounod, '' La Nonne sanglante,''

Laurence Equilbey Laurence Equilbey (born 6 March 1962) is a French conductor, known for her work in the choral repertoire, and more recently as the founder and music director of the Insula Orchestra. Equilbey studied piano and flute in her early life. She under ...

, Conductor, Insula Orchestra, Choeur Accentus, Michael Spyres (Rodolphe), Marion Lebeque (La nonne sanglante), Vannina Santoni, (Agnès), Jérôme Boutillier (Le Comte), Jodi Devos (Arthur), Jean Teitgen (Pierre L'Ermite), Luc Bertin-Hugault (Le baron), Enquerrand De Hys (Fritz), stage Director David Bobée. DVD or Blu-ray Naxos 2019. *

Antonin Dvorak Antonin may refer to: People * Antonin (name) Places ;Poland * Antonin, Jarocin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship * Antonin, Kalisz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship * Antonin, Oborniki County, Greater Poland Voivodeship * Antonin, Ostrów ...

, ''Stabat Mater,'' Eri Nakamura, Elisabeth Kulman, Michael Spyres, Jongmin Park, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Jiri Bëlohlávek. CD Decca 2020 *Antonin Dvorak, ''Requiem, Biblical songs, Te Deum,'' Michael Spyres, Jan Martinik, Ailyn Pérez, Christianne Stotijn, conductors, Jakub Hrusa, Jiri Belohlavek, CD Decca 2020 *Hector Berlioz, ''Benvenuto Cellini,'' Michael Spyres (Benvenuto Cellini), Sophia Burgos (Teresa), Maurizio Muraro (Balducci), Adèle Charvet (Ascanio), Lionel Lhote (Fieramosca), Tareq Nazmi (Pope Clement VII), Vincent Delhoume (Francesco), Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Monteverdi Choir,

Sir John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life and career Born in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin, Gard ...

. DVD Château de Versailles Spectacles 2020

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spyres, Michael 1979 births Living people American operatic tenors Singers from Missouri 21st-century American opera singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American singers University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni