24-25 Program Book - Flipbook - Page 72
Michael Colman
BASS
Lyric bass Michael Colman, hailed by Opera
News for “fielding a fine, dark bass-baritone”,
has performed leading and supporting roles
with many premier opera companies across the
United States.
Still to come in his 2023 season, Michael returns
to Chautauqua Opera as Judge Turpin (and
Sweeney cover) in Sweeney Todd, makes a role
and house debut as Sparafucile in Rigoletto with
Vashon Opera before returning to sing the title
role in their production of Le nozze di Figaro,
sings Sergeant of Police in Pirates of Penzance
with Tulsa Opera, and makes a role and house
debut as Vodnik in Rusalka with Opera Ithaca. His 2024 season already has
two more house debuts scheduled – Étienne Grandet in Naughty Marietta with
Winter Opera St. Louis and Schaunard in La bohème with Fort Worth Opera.
He has become especially well known for his interpretation of The Commentator
in productions of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg with Opera Carolina, Opera
Grand Rapids, Chautauqua Opera and Opera in the Rock. English opera role
highlights include Bonobo/David in Second Nature with Opera Fayetteville,
The Police Officer in Night Trip with Opera NexGen, Grandpa Moss in The
Tender Land with Utah Festival Opera, Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia with
The University of Kansas, and Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with
Dayton Epiphany.
Other roles include Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Chautauqua and
Virginia Operas, Guglielmo and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte with Opera Grand
Rapids and Charlottesville Opera, Schaunard in La bohème with Indianapolis
Opera, Ceprano in Rigoletto with Toledo Opera, Dottore Grenvil in La traviata
with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Toledo Opera, and Opera on the James,
Angelotti in Tosca with St. Petersburg Opera, King of Egypt in Aida with Tulsa
Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with The Janiec Opera Company, Colline in
La bohème with Indiana University, and Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with The
University of Kansas.
A growing list of operetta and music theater roles include The Sergeant of
Police in The Pirates of Penzance with Dayton Opera, and Pharaoh in Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Utah Festival Opera. Michael
covered the role of Emile de Becque in South Pacific with Indianapolis Opera,
The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Dayton Opera, and Judge Frollo
in The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Utah Festival Opera.
72 CLASSICAL SERIES VERDI’S DEFIANT REQUIEM
