Baritone Timothy Mix makes his Washington Concert Opera debut as Albert in Massenet’s “Werther,” a tragedy about star-crossed lovers relayed through rich, lush melodies. The title role is sung by Italian tenor Guiseppe Filianoti, a Met regular, as are bass-baritone Eugene Galvin singing the role of Johann, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore as Charlotte and soprano Jo?lle Harvey as Sophie. Like Mix, winner of a Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition award, the latter three are recipients of the prestigious Richard Tucker Foundation Grant. “I’m grateful for all my awards, especially the Richard Tucker Grant in 2008 and a prize in the 2004 Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition held in Helsinki, Finland because I’m half Finnish and have dual citizenship,” Mix said. “I grew up in a musical family and was inspired by my mother and my father, who never studied, but has a fantastic ear and sounds like Bing Crosby.”
While studying voice with a local teacher, Mix turned his interest to opera and began applying to music schools. He decided upon Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore where he and his wife now reside.
| Onstage |
| Timothy Mix in ‘Werther’ |
| Where: Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street NW |
| When: 6 p.m. Sunday |
| Tickets: $40 to $100 at 202-364-5826 |
After graduation, he was invited to become a young Pittsburgh Opera Center artist, singing such roles as Baron Douphol in “La Traviata,” Don Fernando in “Fidelio,” Count Almaviva in “Le Nozze de Figaro,” Monterone in “Rigoletto” and Mr. Flint in “Billy Budd.” He made his Baltimore Opera debut in 2007 as Kru?ina in Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” and his Washington National Opera debut in 2009 as Ford in “Falstaff,” a role he also performed at New York City Opera. He returned to WNO earlier this season as Renato in “Un Ballo in Maschere.”
Other career highlights include Edward Gaines in the New York premiere of “Margaret Garner” by Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison for which he received New York City Opera’s 2008 Christopher Keene Award. This season he made his San Francisco Opera debut in “La Fanciulla del West,” sang Handel’s “Messiah” with the Pacific Symphony and made his Arizona Opera debut as Marcello in “La Boh?me” following earlier engagements in the same role at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Palm Beach Opera.
“Marcello is one of my favorite roles because it’s such fun,” Mix said. “The cast is always made up of young people who have great camaraderie and playfulness. I also love singing Ford in ‘Falstaff.”
