ERIC OWENS
BASS-BARITONEERIC OWENS
BASS-BARITONE
ABOUT
Bass-baritone Eric Owens has a unique reputation as an esteemed interpreter of classic works and a champion of new music. Equally at home in orchestral, recital, and operatic repertoire, Mr. Owens brings his powerful poise, expansive voice, and instinctive acting faculties to stages around the world.
Recent highlights include returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Emile Griffith in James Robinson’s new production of Champion, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and to Los Angeles Opera as Raimondo in Simon Stone’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor; his debuts at the Wiener Staatsoper in Wagner’s heroic Ring Cycle, first as Wotan in Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, and as the Wanderer in Siegfried, conducted by Franz Welser-Möst. Additional operatic engagements include King Marke at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Opéra National de Paris in a multimedia production of The Tristan Project, led by conductor Gustavo Dudamel and director Peter Sellars. Concert engagements include performances of Mozart opera excerpts with the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Nathalie Stutzmann.
In the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Owens returned to the Metropolitan Opera as both Philippe II in Sir David McVicar’s new production of Don Carlos, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and Porgy in James Robinson’s Grammy Award-winning production of Porgy and Bess, conducted by David Robertson. He also returned to Santa Fe Opera as King Marke in Tristan und Isolde. On the concert stage, he joined the Philadelphia Orchestra for performances of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, also conducted by Nézet-Séguin, both in Philadelphia’s Verizon Hall and at Carnegie Hall. He sang Vodnik in concert performances of Rusalka with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, led by Alan Gilbert.
In the 2020-2021 season, Mr. Owens performed Sarastro in The Magic Flute at the Glimmerglass Festival, while serving as Artist in Residence for the festival’s Young Artist Program. He also sang in a pop-up concert in New York City alongside other soloists and members of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Mr. Owens’s career operatic highlights include both Alberich and Hagen in the Metropolitan Opera’s Ring cycle; Wotan and the Wanderer in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ring cycle directed by Sir David Pountney; Orest in Patrice Chereau’s production of Elektra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Met; the title role of Der Fliegende Höllander and Stephen Kumalo in Weill’s Lost in the Stairs at Washington National Opera; his San Francisco Opera debut in Otello conducted by Donald Runnicles; his Royal Opera, Covent Garden, debut in Norma; Vodnik and Porgy at Lyric Opera of Chicago; the title role in Handel’s Hercules with the Canadian Opera Company; Ramfis in Aida at Houston Grand Opera; Die Zauberflöte for his Paris Opera (Bastille) debut; and the title role of Macbeth at the Glimmerglass Festival.
Mr. Owens has been recognized with multiple honors, including the Musical America’s 2017 Vocalist of the Year award, 2003 Marian Anderson Award, a 1999 ARIA award, second prize in the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition. He serves on the Board of Trustees of both the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and Astral Artistic Services.
RECENT PRAISE
OPERA WIRE
João Marcos Copertino
Eric Owens was, by far, the best performer of the night. His King Mark was extremely musical, carrying lines that stressed the fragility of the character—he was the exception to the cast’s musical issues. His voice is extremely well-projected and uniformed in all registers. It is wonderful how his vibrato is proper to the role—it is not wide, but efficient in bringing a certain maturity to the character and highlighting the Owens’s affination quality.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
David Patrick Stearns
Owens’ idiomatic use of the text went beyond the typical big-operatic moment, turning the scene into a startlingly intimate outpouring of a being who has been all-powerful until this very moment, when he must exile his favorite daughter. The sense of resignation was monumental in singing that was disarmingly quiet but audible, thanks to his rhetorical conviction – though conductor Smith didn’t always hold back the orchestra.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Anthony Tommasini
The towering bass-baritone Eric Owens … was magnificent in “Lost in the Stars.” Mr. Owens triumphed in the lead role of Stephen Kumalo. [His] complete identification with Kumalo comes through in every moment of his searing portrayal. … Mr. Owens’ delivery of the spoken lines, touched with a South African accent, was nuanced and powerful … It was unbearably moving.”
NEWS
Congratulations to Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer and Eric Owens: Winners at the 2024 Grammy® Awards!
Congratulations to Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer and Eric Owens on their victories at the 2024 GRAMMY® Awards! The winners were announced on February 4 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Mr Hussain won three awards during “Music’s Biggest Night” making him a 4-time GRAMMY®-winner. Mr Meyer won two awards, bringing his
Congratulations to our 2024 GRAMMY® Nominees!
Congratulations to our 2024 GRAMMY® Nominated Artists. The awards will be announced on February 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer Béla Fleck and Rakesh Chaurasia* are nominated for two awards: Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for As We Speak and Best Global Music Performance for
Eric Owens Wins Grammy® Award for The Gershiwns’ Porgy and Bess
Eric Owens won his second Grammy® Award for his powerful performance as Porgy in The Metropolitan Opera’s production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. This is his second honour in the Best Opera Recording category; he previously won in 2011 for Adams: Doctor Atomic. He shares the award with conductor David Robertson, Angel
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