Get to know tenor Jack Swanson

A ROYAL DEBUT Jack made his OperaDelaware debut as the dashing Prince Ramiro in our 2017 production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola. WHYY raved: “Jack Swanson applied his ringing, powerful tenor to the demanding role… consistently note-perfect in the score’s difficult runs with their enormous range and rapid articulation.” A 2018 Richard Tucker Career Grant winner, Jack has become one of opera’s most sought-after tenors. Notable appearances include Rodrigo in Otello with Oper Frankfurt, the title role of Candide with Los Angeles Opera, and Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri with Santa Fe Opera.

THE (NEARLY) NAKED TENOR For his recent performance as Count Almaviva in Den Norske Opera & Ballet’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, Jack, ahem, bared more than just his soul onstage, cheekily tagging his behind-the-scenes rehearsal photos with the hashtag #freethenipple. Check out a clip of his delightful performance of “All'idea di quel metallo” here.

SONGS OF LOVE AND LOSS We’re thrilled to feature Jack and pianist Roderick Phipps-Kettlewell in our next digital SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT, premiering Jan. 10 at 2 pm, with a rebroadcast on Jan. 13 at 7:30 pm. This gorgeous, cinematic recital, filmed at the historic Triune Masonic Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota, features a mix of operatic favorites by Puccini and Rossini along with classics by Bernstein and Schumann’s Dichterliebe.

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Covid-19 Updates & Special Content

Thank you for checking in with us during these challenging times. We appreciate your support!

Back in March 2020, we created a special blog — linked from our homepage — to keep our patrons updated about performance cancellations and special events. With our pivot to digital and outdoor performances, that blog is no longer front and center on our site. If you’d still like to review the content, it is available here.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and we look forward to seeing you in person in 2021!

Meet the 2020 Young Artists: Baritones & Bass-Baritone

2020 YOUNG ARTISTS (LEFT TO RIGHT): MARK HOSSEINI (BARITONE), DANIEL RICH (BARITONE), AND LLOYD RESHARD (BASS-BARITONE)

We're so excited to welcome our 2020 class of OperaDelaware Young Artists! In the weeks leading up to their Young Artists: Make a Scene performances (March 20-22), we'll introduce them all to you here.

This week, let's get to know our baritones and bass-baritone: Mark Hosseini, Daniel Rich, and Lloyd Reshard.

Mark Hosseini will be making his OperaDelaware debut this spring, playing Mercurio in The Coronation of Poppea and covering Hermann/Schlemihl in The Tales of Hoffmann. A graduate of Oakland University and the Eastman School of Music, this Rochester Hills, MI native was recently seen as Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Opera Louisiane and as Papageno in The Magic Flute with OPERA Iowa.

Daniel Rich will be making his OperaDelaware debut this spring, playing Schlemihl in The Tales of Hoffmann and the Bartender in Speed Dating Tonight!. A graduate of Morgan State University and the Manhattan School of Music, this Baltimore, MD native was recently seen as King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Frostburg Opera and in recital at Delaware State University.

Lloyd Reshard will be making his OperaDelaware debut this spring, playing Luther and Crespel in The Tales of Hoffmann and covering Seneca in The Coronation of Poppea. A graduate of the University of Miami, this Niceville, FL native was recently seen as Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte with Fargo-Moorhead Opera and as Escamillo in Carmen with Peach State Opera Company.

Welcome to OperaDelaware, Mark, Daniel, and Lloyd!

Meet the 2020 Young Artists: Tenors

2020 Young Artists (left to right): Tenors Jason Berger and Miles Herr

We're so excited to welcome our 2020 class of OperaDelaware Young Artists next month! In the weeks leading up to their Young Artists: Make a Scene performances (March 20-22), we'll introduce them all to you here.

Jason Berger was most recently seen at OperaDelaware in the choruses of last season's Trial by Jury and Dead Man Walking, but his first appearance with OD was at age 12, in the chorus of the 2004 Family Opera Theater production of The Hobbit! A graduate of the University of Michigan and the Peabody Conservatory, this Wilmington native was recently seen as Cinderella's Father in Into the Woods with Charlottesville Opera and as a soloist with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Recently, Jason has become a social media sensation since a video of him singing while working at a local Starbucks has gone viral, garnering thousands of views and national press. (Did you miss it? Watch the video and see the article links below.)

Miles Herr will be making his OperaDelaware debut this spring, playing Lucano in The Coronation of Poppea and covering the Servants in The Tales of Hoffmann. A graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and the UMD Maryland Opera Studio, this Lenox, MA native was recently seen as Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte with Fargo-Moorhead Opera. Welcome to OperaDelaware, Miles!

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Young artist Jason berger wows customers at a local wilmington starbucks. (video courtesy of Kaylan Wetzel.

Wilmington's opera-singing Starbucks barista joining OperaDelaware's Young Artist Program (The News Journal)

This opera-singing Starbucks barista is going viral for his incredible voice (The Today Show)

Opera singing barista performs for customers (News Journal)

A Delaware barista was filmed singing opera at Starbucks. He was trained in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun)

Video of opera singer at Del. Starbucks goes viral (NBC Philadelphia)

Meet the 2020 Young Artists: Sopranos & Mezzo

Left to right: corey Raquel Lovelace, robin steitz, marie engle

We're thrilled to welcome our 2020 class of OperaDelaware Young Artists next month!

In the weeks leading up to their Young Artists: Make a Scene performances, we'll introduce them all to you here. First up, three new faces to our OD audience: sopranos Corey Raquel Lovelace and Robin Steitz and mezzo Marie Engle.

Corey Raquel Lovelace will be making her OperaDelaware debut this spring, playing Drusilla in The Coronation of Poppea and covering Antonia and Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann. A graduate from North Park University and DePaul University, this Alexandria, VA, native was recently seen as Musetta in La Bohème with Opera Carolina and as Cendrillon with Little Opera Company of Charlotte.

Robin Steitz will also be making her OperaDelaware debut this spring, playing Amore and Valletto in The Coronation of Poppea and covering Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann. A graduate from the Eastman School of Music, this Washington, D.C. native was recently seen as Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Baltimore Concert Opera. She is currently wrapping up a Studio Artist residency with Fort Worth Opera, performing Marianna in Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World.

Mezzo Marie Engle will be making her OD debut this spring, playing Nutrice in The Coronation of Poppea. A graduate of Northwestern University and the Juilliard School, this Wauseon, OH, native was recently seen as Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Chautaqua School of Music and as Ramiro in La finta giardiniera with Juilliard Opera.

Welcome to OperaDelaware, Corey, Robin, and Marie