Thomas Meglioranza, baritone

Hailed for his "vocal distinction and expressive warmth" (The Boston Globe), American baritone Thomas Meglioranza is quickly establishing himself as one of the country's most sought after singers for a wide variety of repertoire including oratorio, opera and orchestral works. Recently, Mr. Meglioranza was named a winner of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition. He is also the 2002 Joy In Singing Award Recipient. Mr. Meglioranza is a graduate of Grinnell College and the Eastman School of Music.

Mr. Meglioranza's 2003-2005 engagements include recitals in Merkin Hall and at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, Carmina Burana with the Cascade Festival of Music Orchestra under Murry Sidlin, Messiah with the Portland Baroque Orchestra under Richard Egarr and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra under Alfred Savia, and Beethoven's Christ on the Mount of Olives with Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque, the role of Aeneas opposite soprano Evelyn Tubb for the Atlanta-based New Trinity Baroque's season opening performance and new recording of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. He will also appear as guest soloist and portray famed diarist Samuel Pepys in a special, semi-staged concert of English Restoration music with the New York Collegium under Curtis Streetman. His upcoming chamber appearances include Dover Beach with Concertante, an appearance at New York's Cooper Union for a performance of Babbitt's Two Sonnets, and a concert of works by John Cage with the ensemble Alarm Will Sound.

His 2001-2002 engagements included appearances as Apollo in Handel's Apollo e Dafne and Messiah with the American Bach Soloists, the baritone roles in Purcell's King Arthur with the New York Collegium conducted by Bernard Labadie, and Polyphemus in Handel's Acis and Galatea with the Baroque Orchestra of Iowa. Additional appearances included the St. John Passion, conducted by Andrew Parrott, and appearance with the Chicago Opera Theater's acclaimed production of L'Orfeo at the Brooklyn Academy of Music under Jane Glover, and Monteverdi's Vespro della B. Virgine with the Trinity Consort. Mr. Meglioranza has made numerous appearances with orchestras in the United States, Europe and Asia, including engagements with the Rochester Philharmonic (Haydn's Paukenmesse), the Prague Radio Symphony (Beethoven's Mass in C), and has also performed pops programs with the Charleston Symphony and the Santa Barbara Symphony.

A passionate advocate of contemporary music, he sang John Adams' The Wound Dresser at the Tanglewood Festival with conductor Reinbert de Leeuw, gave the Japanese premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis' song cycle Brilliant Sky, Infinite Sky in Sapporo under the direction of the composer, and John Harbison's Words from Paterson at the Bowdoin Music Festival with Jeffrey Milarsky conducting. Mr. Meglioranza has also given premiere performances of many orchestral songs written for his voice, including Jon Chenette's Broken Ground with the Des Moines Symphony and Gavin Chuck's Confiteor with the Ossia Orchestra. His portrayal of Don Giovanni, under the baton of Julius Rudel with the Aspen Opera Theater, was hailed by the Denver Post as "a triumph." His many festival appearances include the Tanglewood, Aspen, Ravinia, Bowdoin, and Pacific Music Festivals.

He currently lives in New York City where his other passions include cooking and the study of Shaolin kung-fu. Visit Thomas Meglioranza's website at www.meglioranza.com.