La Bohème

Derek Taylor (Rodolfo)

http://www.derektaylor.org/

Mr. Taylor's 06-07 season began with the american premiere of the Thomas Ades' Tempest  as Antonio with Santa Fe Opera, followed by Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly  with both Grand Rapids Opera, and Austin Lyric Opera followed by Gala d'Opera with the Opera de Montreal. Mr. Taylor will make his  Los Angeles Opera debut in the role of Toby Higgins in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny in early 2007, followed by the tenor soloist in Rossini's Petite Messe Solennele with the Southeastern Festival after which he will conclude his season as  Michele in The Saint of Bleecker Street with Central City Opera, directed by Catherine Malfitano.

In Mr. Taylor's 2007-08 season,  Mr. Taylor makes his european debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Oper St. Gallen, a return to  Rodolfo in La Boheme with Boston Lyric Opera, as well as Phoenix Metropolitan Opera, a return to Los Angeles Opera as Cassio in Otello  conducted by Maestro James Conlon, as well as covering the role of Ruggero in La Rondine, again with Los Angeles Opera,  and concludes his year as Henrik Eggerman in A Little Night Music with Hawaii Opera Theater.

2008-09 brings Mr. Taylor to Oper St. Gallen for Alfredo in La Traviata, and Camille in Die Lustige Witwe, and a return to Rodolfo in La Boheme with Opera Theatre of St. Louis

Looking ahead to future seasons , Mr. Taylor will return to Rodolfo in La Boheme. and a role debut as Steva in Jenufa, both for Virginia Opera, Rodolfo again with Hawaii Opera Theatre, a debut with the Charlesmagne Orchestra and Elijah, and Oper St. Gallen with a role debut Zamoro in Alzira, and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly

Mr. Taylor’s 2005-06 season began with performances as Rodolfo in La Boheme for El Paso Opera and for Manitoba Opera. Mr. Taylor’s season concludes with his debut as Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte for Palm Beach Opera, followed by additional performances of Rodolfo for Baltimore Opera.

During his 2004-05 season, Mr. Taylor made his debut with Opera Illinois as Alfredo in La Traviata. The 2003-04 season included performances of the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera New Hampshire, and Di Capo Opera Theatre, the title role in Les Contes D’Hoffmann with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor with Portland Opera, and the role Accuser in the world premiere of Bright Sheng’s Madame Mao with the Santa Fe Opera. Other roles have included the title role in Gounod’s Faust, Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, all with the Academy of Vocal Arts. Mr. Taylor has also performed the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus, the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. On the concert stage, Mr. Taylor has sung excerpts from Carmen and La Boheme in A Night at the Opera with Maestro Paul Nadler and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Also during the 2003-04 season, he appeared as a featured soloist with the New Israeli Philharmonic, Connecticut Symphony, and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, and Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops. He has been the tenor soloist in such works as Vaughn Williams Hodie with the Bermuda Philharmonic, Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Mass in C, both with the CalArts Symphony, and most recently, in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, with the American Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles. He was also a featured artist in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation 30th Anniversary Concert at Alice Tully Hall.

During the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Taylor won high praise on the competition circuit. He was the First Prize Winner of the 2004 Liederkranz Competition and a Major Award Winner of the 2004 Opera Index Competition, was most recently awarded Third Prize in 2005 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Voice Competition and won Second Prize in the Florida Grand Opera Competition. He is also the recipient of awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Regional Finalist), George London Music Foundation (Encouragement Grant Winner), Alta/Mura Caruso Foundation (Winner), and the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation (Winner).