Jason Howard

Raised in the rich singing tradition of South Wales, Jason Howard is now recognised as one of the UK's leading performers on the international operatic stage. Long known as an outstanding performer in the French and Italian repertoire, with his most recent success as Wotan in David McVicars's wonderful production of Wagner's Ring Der Nibelungen at the Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg, he is now establishing himself as a leading exponent of the German heroic repertoire. One review described ... [ more ] Raised in the rich singing tradition of South Wales, Jason Howard is now recognised as one of the UK's leading performers on the international operatic stage. Long known as an outstanding performer in the French and Italian repertoire, with his most recent success as Wotan in David McVicars's wonderful production of Wagner's Ring Der Nibelungen at the Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg, he is now establishing himself as a leading exponent of the German heroic repertoire. One review described his recent debut in Die Walkure, as 'the Wotan of his generation'.

Together with the recently performed Strauss' Orest and Wagner's Dutchman, he continues to expand his German repertoire with performances of Jochanaan in Strauss' Salome in Lisbon Portugal and in the US. in spring 2010.

Upon leaving his first career as a fireman he took up studies in London at Trinity and the Royal Colleges of music with John Wakefield and Norman Bailey respectively. He commenced his career at Scottish Opera, subsequently singing with all the major UK opera companies and orchestras. In the past fifteen years as well as his UK performances he has sung to critical acclaim throughout Europe and N. America.

In the late 1990's and 2000's Verdi featured highly in his output, and he sang the baritone roles in Attila, La Traviata, Don Carlos, Rigoletto, Macbeth, Nabucco and Il Trovatore.

Other highlights included his debut at the Royal Opera House and Paris Opera as Marcello in Puccini's La Boheme and his debut at Chicago Lyric Opera as Adam Brant in Mourning Becomes Electra (also perfomed in Seattle and New York).

In more recent years, highlights have included his debut at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires in the South American premier of Britten's Death in Venice, the role of Prospero in Thomas Ades' The Tempest, Tonio and Alfio in Cav/Pag for WNO.

In the winter of 2009, nineteen years after his performances of Ravenal in the RSC/Opera North production of Showboat he finally returns to the stage musical with performances of Emile de Beque in the Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific.

In 2010 he returns to the heroic baritone repertoire with his first Scarpia in Salzburg, his first Iago in Otello in America and in 2011 will make his German debut at Frankfurt Opera singing Baron Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca. These roles together with further performances in the Wagner canon make for a very busy and demanding future on the operatic stage.

His early recordings included The Student Prince, A Song of Norway, A Little Night Music, Showboat, Calamity Jane and The King & I for TER. He also sang Dr Malatesta on a recording of Don Pasquale for Chandos which was followed by Mephisto in a recording of Boulanger's Faust et Helene. More recently, he released a solo CD of songs from the classic Hollywood musicals made famous by two early “singing heroes” Howard Keel and Gordon MacRae on Silva Screen Records, titled "Make Believe' The Hollywood Baritones.
(Autumn 2009) [ less ]

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