LEVI HERNANDEZ
upcoming wco appearance
Puccini’s Manon Lescaut (11/24/24)
With a velvety tone and a stage presence which exudes confidence and charm, Levi Hernandez has made a name for himself in a wide variety of baritone repertoire. Opera News has praised him for his “voice with natural power,” and “warm, inviting baritone.” The El Paso native has joined the rosters of leading opera companies including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Houston Grand Opera where he débuted as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly.
Most recently he joined El Paso Opera for their Mozart by Moonlight concert, Opera San Antonio as the Father in Hansel and Gretel, appeared as Dandini in La Cenerentola with Boston Lyric Opera, performed Tonio in Pagliacci with Hawaii Opera Theatre, returned to opera Omaha as Diego Rivera in El último sueño de Frida y Diego, and appeared with the Virginia and Oregon Symphonies in Handel’s Messiah.
Additional recent appearances include joining Opera Idaho in their Celebrando a México concert, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with North Carolina Opera, a return to The Metropolitan Opera to cover Papageno in Die Zauberflöte and Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Handel’s Messiah with Kansas City Symphony, an appearance with the El Paso Symphony for Mozart’s Requiem, and Opera Idaho’s Opera in the Park concert. The upcoming 2024-2025 season sees his return to Madison Opera for Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with the Washington Concert Opera, Handel‘s Messiah with the Tucson Symphony, a reprise of the role of Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas with North Carolina Opera, his return to Lyric Opera of Chicago for Benoit and Alcindoro in La bohème, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Utah Symphony.
In recent seasons, Mr. Hernandez returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago as Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas, reprised the title role in Gianni Schicchi with Tulsa Opera, débuted with Hawaii Opera Theater as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, and performed Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer with Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. He has continued his longstanding relationship with the work of composer Daniel Catan, appearing as Rappaccini La hija de Rappaccini with Chicago Opera Theater. Additionally, he sang Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Colorado and El Paso Opera, and Aba in El milagro del recuerdo Houston Grand Opera. He has sung Pa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath with Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Virginia Opera, Nashville Opera, Arizona Opera, and Chattanooga Symphony & Opera. He recently débuted with Opera Colorado as Marcello in La bohème, Inspector Kildare in Elizabeth Cree with Chicago Opera Theater, Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas with San Diego Opera and Madison Opera, and Ford in Falstaff with Intermountain Opera. He has covered the title role in The Death of Klinghoffer and productions of Die Frau ohne Schatten and Carmen with the Metropolitan Opera.
Additionally, Mr. Hernandez has sung Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas with Arizona Opera, Sonora in La fanciulla del West with Opera Omaha, Music Master in Ariadne auf Naxos with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with Opera Omaha, Dandini in La Cenerentola with Opera Roanoke and Opera North, Papageno with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Madison Opera, Gianni Schicchi with Intermountain Opera, Germont in La Traviata with Opera Roanoke and Intermountain Opera, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Pine Mountain Music Festival, Guglielmo in Le Villi with the Spoleto Festival, USA, his European début with Komische Oper Berlin’s Pique Dame in the role of Tomski, Guglielmo/Remigio in Le Villi/ La Navarraise at Bard Music Festival, Tobias Mill in La cambiale di matrimonio with Opera Omaha, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Arizona Opera, Nashville Opera, Minnesota Opera, Intermountain Opera, Virginia Opera, Lake George Opera and Cedar Rapids Opera, his début with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis as Leporello in Don Giovanni, Marcello in La bohème with Opera Memphis, San Antonio Opera, and El Paso Opera, Schaunard in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s La bohème, Valentin in Faust with the Kalamazoo Symphony, Count Ceprano in Rigoletto, Moralès in Carmen, and Haly in L’italiana in Algeri, all with Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Don Lucas in Luisa Fernanda, Sciarrone in Tosca, and Crébillon in La rondine with Los Angeles Opera.
Mr. Hernandez has been seen on the concert platform as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the El Paso Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, the Pennsylvania Ballet, and Cheyenne Symphony and others, in Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer with Cheyenne Symphony, in Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with Music of the Baroque, Dvorak’s Te Deum with Shippensburg Music Festival, and in Orff’s Carmina burana with the Pennsylvania Ballet.
A 2002 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions finalist, his many awards include a Licia Albanese- Puccini Foundation grant as well as being a 2002 Operalia competition finalist. With an undergraduate degree from Westminster Choir College and his master’s degree from the University of North Texas, Mr. Hernandez also attended the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and was a member of the prestigious Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago.