Brian Mulligan

Last updated

Brian Mulligan is an American operatic baritone who has performed in major opera houses and concert halls all over the world.

Contents

Mulligan's diverse repertoire currently includes over 60 roles in seven languages. He regularly performs the standard works of Puccini, Verdi, and Wagner, yet also sings the music of living composers such as John Adams, Dominick Argento, and Gregory Spears.

In September 2018, The Washington Post wrote "Mulligan is a big man with a big voice. His baritone is almost embarrassingly rich in its low and middle registers, with a high range and head voice of bell-like purity. His diction is flawless. Most importantly, he imbues every syllable with unmistakable meaning and purpose." [1]

Early life and education

Born in Endicott, New York, Mulligan has two younger brothers and was raised in an Irish Catholic home. His parents were born in Ireland, which allowed Mulligan to be granted dual citizenship with the United States and Ireland. [2]

Mulligan studied voice at the Juilliard School and Yale University. His primary voice teachers were Dale Moore, Beverley Peck Johnson, and W. Stephen Smith, with whom he still studies today.

Mulligan spent five summers as a student at the Aspen Music Festival and School, two summers as a Young Artist with Wolf Trap Opera and one summer with the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival.

Career

Brian Mulligan made his professional debut at the Metropolitan Opera in December 2003. He was still a student at Juilliard at the time of his debut, singing the role of Der Wächter in Die Frau ohne Schatten . Since then, he has gone on to perform at some of the most important opera houses in the world, including the Wiener Staatsoper (debut as Balstrode in Peter Grimes ), San Francisco Opera (debut as Marcello in La bohème ), Opernhaus Zürich (debut as Yeletsky in Pique Dame), Lyric Opera of Chicago (debut as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor ), Oper Frankfurt (debut as Prospero in Adès' The Tempest), Los Angeles Opera (debut as Prometheus in Die Vögel), New York City Opera (debut as Jake Wallace in La fanciulla del West ) and Houston Grand Opera (debut as Marcello in La bohème).

Recent appearance include Mandryka in Arabella with San Francisco Opera, Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande at Oper Frankfurt, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opernhaus Zürich, Gunther in Götterdämmerung and Donner in Das Rheingold with San Francisco Opera, Paolo Albiani in Simon Boccanegra at the Metropolitan Opera, Amonasro in Aida at the Aspen Music Festival, John Proctor in The Crucible at the Glimmerglass Festival, Nelusko in L'Africaine at Oper Frankfurt, Tadeusz in The Passenger at the Theater an der Wien and Roderick Usher in Debussy's La chute de la maison Usher at San Francisco Opera.

Mulligan has garnered much critical acclaim in his career, particularly for his performances of Sweeney Todd and Richard Nixon in Nixon in China, both with San Francisco Opera, Enrico in the David Alden production of Lucia di Lammermoor at Canadian Opera Company, English National Opera, and Washington National Opera, the title role of Hamlet at Minnesota Opera and Valentin in Faust at the Metropolitan Opera, Opernhaus Zürich, and San Francisco Opera.

Other roles include Di Luna in Il trovatore at Oper Frankfurt, Renato in Un ballo in maschera and Chorebe in Les Troyens both at San Francisco Opera, Thérèse at Wexford Festival Opera, Hansel and Gretel at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Carmina Burana with the Cleveland Orchestra and Peter Grimes at the Aspen Music Festival. Mulligan has also appeared at the Ravinia Festival, Spoleto Festival USA and the Saito Kinen Festival in Japan.

Brian Mulligan has performed with many of the finest orchestras in America, including the Cleveland Orchestra ( A Sea Symphony ), the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra ( Das klagende Lied ), the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Songs for Adam), the Houston Symphony (Paulus) and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (Mahler Symphony #8).

The Shining (opera)

In May 2016, Brian Mulligan created the role of Jack Torrance in the world premiere of The Shining by Paul Moravec at Minnesota Opera. The entire run of the production was sold out and the opera was proclaimed "a chilling, artistic triumph" by Musical America . The reviews for Mulligan's portrayal of Jack Torrance were raves. [3] Opera News wrote, "As Jack Torrance, Brian Mulligan does the seemingly impossible—he actually makes you forget Jack Nicholson". [4] Musical America wrote, "Bringing all this to life was a first-rate cast led by Brian Mulligan, who used his powerful baritone and looming physicality to explore the terrifying drama of Jack's internal battle. Exuding immense charm in the opening scenes, and a genuine desire to reconnect with Wendy and turn things right, he conveyed a sense of the inevitability behind the dark forces that torment him—a veritable operatic curse—and of the strength he needed to summon for the climactic scene". [5] The Star Tribune wrote, "Brian Mulligan was an unforgettable Jack, alternately pathetic and terrifying and richly sung." [6]

Recordings

Brian Mulligan's debut solo album was released by Naxos Records in August 2017. The recording consisted of two song cycles by Dominick Argento: The Andrée Expedition and From the Diary of Virginia Woolf . Timothy Long is the pianist and Adam Abeshouse is the producer. The album was a critical success, and named Critics Choice by Opera News in the February 2018 issue. [7] Gramophone reviewed the album as "... a succession of poignant gem-like moments, exquisite distillations of love and brief emotional surges...". [8]

Brian Mulligan's second album, entitled Old Fashioned, is scheduled to be released by Bridge Records in January 2019. Craig Rutenberg is the pianist and Adam Abeshouse is the producer. The album consists of songs from the early part of the 20th century, made popular through renditions by great American baritones of the past, including Nelson Eddy, John Charles Thomas, Lawrence Tibbett, and Leonard Warren.

Mulligan has also been featured on recordings by ArkivMusic, Deutsche Grammophon, and Opera Rara/Warner Classics.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Battle</span> American operatic soprano (born 1948)

Kathleen Deanna Battle is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid-1970s. She made her opera debut in 1975. Battle expanded her repertoire into lyric soprano and coloratura soprano roles during the 1980s and early 1990s, until her eventual dismissal from the Metropolitan Opera in 1994. She later has focused on recording and the concert stage. After a 22-year absence from the Met, Battle performed a concert of spirituals at the Metropolitan Opera House in November 2016, and again in May 2024.

John Aler was an American lyric tenor who performed in concerts, recitals, and operas. He was particularly known for his interpretations of the works of Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and Handel.

Andrew von Oeyen is a concert pianist. He is a citizen of the United States and France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Hale (bass-baritone)</span> American opera singer (1933–2023)

Robert Hale was an American operatic bass-baritone. He was first a leading baritone at the New York City Opera for a decade, where he performed, alongside Beverly Sills, mostly in Mozart operas and in the revival of belcanto opera such as Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Frank Kelley is an American tenor who has performed in concert and in opera throughout North America and Europe. He holds music degrees from Florida State University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Kelley has appeared with the San Francisco Opera, Brussels Opera, Boston Opera Theater, Boston Lyric Opera, Oper Frankfurt, Opéra de Lyon, Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), and the New Israeli Opera. The other ensembles he has sung with include Emmanuel Music, Tanglewood Festival, Ravinia Festival, Marlboro Music Festival, Orchestra of St. Luke's, New Jersey Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Dallas Bach Society, Handel and Haydn Society, Cleveland Orchestra, PepsiCo SummerFare Festival, Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music Bach Festival, Next Wave Festival, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Company, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Richard Cross is an American bass-baritone who had an active international opera career from the late 1950s through the 1990s. Possessing a rich and warm voice, Cross sang a broad repertoire that encompassed works from a wide variety of musical periods and styles. He currently teaches on the voice faculties of the Yale School of Music, the Juilliard School, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Timothy Long is a distinguished conductor, pianist, and composer of Muscogee and Choctaw descent who is Artistic and Music Director of Opera at Eastman School of Music, and an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. He is an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee Nation and the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, and his mother is Choctaw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igor Morozov (baritone)</span> Russian-Ukrainian opera singer (born 1948)

Igor Morozov is a Russian-Ukrainian opera singer (baritone)

Michael Fabiano is an American operatic tenor. Born in Montclair, New Jersey, he has performed in leading opera houses throughout the world, including the San Francisco Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Sydney Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Canadian Opera Company, The Royal Opera, and Teatro Real de Madrid among many others. Fabiano is the 2014 Richard Tucker Award winner and the 2014 Beverly Sills Artist Award winner, making him the first singer to win both awards in the same year.

Hanan Alattar is an American operatic soprano who has had an active international career in concerts and in operas since the early 2000s. She has performed with many leading opera companies and orchestras in the United States and Europe, collaborating with such notable conductors as Plácido Domingo, James Conlon and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josep Caballé Domenech</span> Spanish conductor

Josep Caballé Domenech is a Spanish conductor. He has recently been appointed Principal Conductor of the Moritzburg Festival Germany) and he is also in his eighth season as Music Director of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic(USA). Besides, former General Music Director of the Staatskapelle Halle (Germany) from 2013 to 2018, Music Director of the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra (Colombia) during 2018 as well as principal guest conductor of the Norrköping Symphony (Sweden) from 2005 to 2007. "Protégé" of Sir Colin Davis in the inaugural cycle of Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Caballé Domenech enjoys combining his conducting career with a great symphonic and operatic repertoire.

Damiano Michieletto is an Italian stage director especially known for opera. He has staged productions at leading opera houses and festivals worldwide. His awards include the 2015 Laurence Olivier Award for the production of Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci at the Royal Opera House in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliot Madore</span> Canadian opera singer

Elliot Madore is a Canadian lyric baritone with an international operatic career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camilla Nylund</span> Finnish operatic soprano (born 1968)

Camilla Nylund is a Finnish operatic soprano. She appears internationally in lyric-dramatic roles such as Beethoven's Leonore, Verdi's Elisabetta, and Wagner's Elisabeth and Sieglinde. She is especially known for portraying leading female characters in operas by Richard Strauss,. She has appeared at international festivals and the openings of the Dresdner Frauenkirche and the Elbphilharmonie.

Christof Loy is a German stage director especially for opera, whose work received several awards. A freelance director, he has staged operas from Baroque to premieres of new works at major European opera houses and festivals. He is known for directing works by Mozart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosa Feola</span> Italian operatic soprano

Rosa Feola is an Italian operatic soprano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Wolansky</span> American opera singer (1926–1998)

Raymond Wolansky was an American operatic baritone who made a career in Europe. A long-term member of the Staatsoper Stuttgart, he appeared in leading roles such as Verdi's Nabucco and Rigoletto at international opera houses and festivals, including world premieres.

Roland Hermann was a German operatic baritone and former professor at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. A member of the Opernhaus Zürich, he performed leading roles internationally, not only in standard repertoire but also in world premieres and rarely performed works, such as Schoenberg's Moses und Aron.

Titus Engel is a Swiss conductor with a focus on both contemporary opera and Baroque opera in historically informed performance.

Giedrė Šlekytė is a Lithuanian conductor, who works in Europe with a focus on opera. After she was one of three conductors for the Young Conductor Award of the Salzburg Festival in 2015, she worked at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt for two seasons. She conducted Schreker's Die Gezeichneten at the Opernhaus Zürich, and Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites at the Oper Frankfurt in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Patrick Rucker (2018-09-17). "'Walden' delivers gripping concert for Vocal Arts". The Washington Post . Washington, D.C. ISSN   0190-8286. OCLC   1330888409.
  2. ↑ "Rising Stars: An Interview with Brian Mulligan – Opera Warhorses".
  3. ↑ "The Shining Reviews | Minnesota Opera". Archived from the original on 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
  4. ↑ The Shining operanews.com
  5. ↑ "Printer-Friendly Receipt".
  6. ↑ "'Shining' opera premiere is scary good - StarTribune.com". www.startribune.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-10.
  7. ↑ Argento: The Andrée Expedition; From the Diary of Virginia Woolf
  8. ↑ Vittes, Laurence: Argento The Andrée Expedition. From the Diary of Virginia Woolf Gramophone
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.