Brian Thorsett
Since taking to the operatic stage in 2001, tenor Brian Thorsett has been seen and heard in over 80 diverse operatic roles, ranging from Monteverdi to Britten, back to Rameau and ahead again to works composed especially for his talents. Highlights from the 2011–13 seasons include the Sailor and Spirit of Dido and Aeneas with Philharmonia Baroque and Mark Morris Dance Company, Britten’s Captain Vere in scenes from Billy Budd, the title character in Rameau’s Pygmalion, and concert version of Mozart’s Magic Flute.
As a concert singer Brian fosters a stylistically diversified repertoire of over 100 works, which has taken him to concert halls across the US and Europe. Future engagements include Evangelist and soloist in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Magnificat, Mass in B Minor and Cantatas BWV 10, 21, 82a & 106, Handel’s Look Down Harmonious Saint, Ode for St Ceclia's Day, Chandos Anthems and Messiah, Orff’s perennial favorite Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Mass in C, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Lobgesang (Symphony No. 2), Mozart’s Requiem, Coronation Mass, Mass in C minor and Litaniae de venerabili altaris Sacramento, Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ and Les Nuits d’Ete, Finzi’s Dies Natalis, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Britten’s Spring Symphony, Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal and Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, the Requiems of Verdi and Schumann and as Ishmael in the first US performance of Bernard Hermann’s Moby Dick since its New York Philharmonic premiere.
An avid recitalist, Brian will be featured on the Jess Shenson series at Stanford University performing the works of Haydn, Britten, Turina, Vaughan Williams and Rebecca Clarke as well as appearing in a number of vocal-chamber recitals across the US. Upcoming projects include a staged version of Schubert’s Winterreise arranged for woodwind quintet, that master’s Die Schöne Müllerin arranged for guitar, a concert featuring works for voice, piano and string quartet in addition to Alec Roth’s haunting Songs in Time of War. He is a graduate of San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program, Glimmerglass Opera’s Young American Artist program, the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme at Aldeburgh, England and spent two summers at the Music Academy of the West. In addition to his performing credits, Brian recently has been named Adjunct Lecturer in Voice and Opera Workshop at his alma mater, Santa Clara University.
