KEITH PHARES

A noted interpreter of Mozart and bel canto repertoire as well as today’s composers, baritone Keith Phares is regarded as one of his generation’s most versatile artists.  Recent engagements have included Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles, and Marcello in La bohème with Seattle Opera; Charlie in Three Decembers with Florentine Opera; John Sorel in The Consul, and Orin Mannion in Mourning Becomes Electra with Florida Grand Opera; the Count in Le nozze di Figaro with New Orleans Opera; the title role in Elmer Gantry with Tulsa Opera; the title role in Der Kaiser von Atlantis in a joint production with Central City Opera and Colorado Symphony; the premiere of Paul's Case with UrbanArias; and the premiere of The Scarlet Ibis with the Prototype Festival. Future engagements include Elder Tull in the world premiere of Riders of the Purple Sage with Arizona Opera. For his debut with Florentine Opera, he portrayed the title role in Elmer Gantry. A live recording of this performance is now available from Naxos records.  Mr. Phares made his Houston Grand Opera debut in the premiere of Jake Heggie’s Last Acts (Three Decembers); and returned to the stage of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in a new production of Martín y Soler’s Una cosa rara. A graduate of the Juilliard Opera Center, he was a national winner of the 1998 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a finalist in the 1999 Eleanor McCollum Competition of the Houston Grand Opera.