Eric Owens

Acclaimed for his commanding stage presence and inventive artistry, American bass-baritone Eric Owens has carved a unique place in the contemporary opera world as both a troubadour of new music and a powerful interpreter of classic works. Called “consistently charismatic, theatrically and vocally” by New York Magazine and “absolutely remarkable” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mr. Owens is equally at home in concert, recital, and opera performances, bringing his poise, expansive voice, and instinctive acting faculties to stages around the globe.

Mr. Owens’s engagements in the 2008–2009 season include his Metropolitan Opera debut in John Adams’s Doctor Atomic and a solo recital at Carnegie Hall in spring 2009, one of three Carnegie Hall engagements throughout the season. Mr. Owens also returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles for appearances with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Carnegie Hall appearances include performances of Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer with The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Charles Dutoit, and Berlioz’s La damnation de Faust with The Philadelphia Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle. Additional appearances include Sarastro in Julie Taymor’s acclaimed production of The Magic Flute; a return to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Anna Netrebko and Elīna Garanča; and scenes from Strauss’s Elektra and Die Frau ohne Schatten with Christine Brewer and the Atlanta Symphony under Donald Runnicles, in performances to be recorded by Telarc. He is featured on the September 2008 Nonesuch Records release of A Flowering Tree, continuing his long collaboration with American composer John Adams.