john packard, baritone
American baritone John Packard is garnering national prominence on the opera stage. This "rich-voiced baritone" (Opera News) is being praised for his fine singing along with his strong stage presence. His recent portrayal as the title role in Billy Budd led Kansas City’s The Sun to write, "everything in this production sparkled, especially John Packard."
In the 2001-2002 season John Packard sings Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro with Vancouver Opera, and Joseph de Rocher in Dead Man Walking with Opera Pacific and Cincinnati Opera. He also appears in recital at the Ravinia Festival. During the 2002-2003 season, Mr. Packard will sing further performances of Dead Man Walking with New York City Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, and Michigan Opera Theatre.
Highlighting his 2000-2001 season, Mr. Packard made his debut appearance with the San Francisco Opera in the world premiere production of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s Dead Man Walking. Mr. Packard can be heard on the world premiere recording of this opera on the Erato Disques label.
John Packard’s other performances during the 2000-2001 season included Stravinsky’s Priboutki and Renard with the EOS Orchestra in New York City, Carmina Burana with the Harrisburg Symphony, a concert entitled "Puccini and Beyond" with the Ravinia Festival, Orest in Elektra with Long Beach Opera, and John Brooke in Little Women with Opera Pacific. During the 1999-2000 season, Mr. Packard performed the title role in Billy Budd for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Critics hailed Packard as an "ideal Budd," and raved that "his acting added depth to a character who is difficult to comprehend."
Packard made his New York City debut as Marcello in La Bohème. He also toured twice with the company: as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and as Marcello in La Bohème. He also portrayed Sharpless in Madama Butterfly at the Dallas Opera, the Greater Buffalo Opera, and his Italian debut with Venice’s prestigious La Fenice.
His European debut took place in Paris with Orchestre Colonne as Silvio in a concert performance of I Pagliacci, under the baton of Antonello Allemandi. He added Valentin in Faust to his repertoire in a new David Alden production at the Wiener Volksoper. As Marcello in La Bohème he appeared with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and made his initial appearances in Israel with the New Israeli Opera in a production directed by Franco Zeffirelli. In Israel, Mr. Packard also sang his first performances of Carmina Burana with the Haifa Symphony.
Mr. Packard has been the recipient of a recipient of the Robert Jacobson Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation, and he has been a winner of the Puccini, Loren Zachary, MacAllister, and Liederkranz competitions.
