Daniel Okulitch

Renowned Canadian bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch is known for his commanding stage presence and impressive vocal versatility. He has performed with major opera companies and orchestras worldwide, taking on a diverse range of roles showcasing his musical intelligence and strong sense of artistry.

Okulitch is especially sought after for contemporary repertoire, and his world premieres include the role of Ennis del Mar in Charles Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain at Teatro Real, Lyndon B. Johnson in David T Little and Royce Vavrek’s JFK at Fort Worth Opera, General Groves in John Adams’ Dr. Atomic at Santa Fe Opera and Mark Rutland in Nico Muhly’s Marnie at English National Opera. Further highlights include Beck in Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s Everest with BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Protector in George Benjamin’s Written on Skin at Opéra de Montréal and Deutsche Oper Berlin, appearances in Lessons in Love and Violence at Gran Teatre del Liceu and Omar with LA Opera, San Francisco Opera and Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and his debut as Shaklovity in Simon McBurney’s production of Khovanshchina at Salzburg Osterfestspiele under Esa-Pekka Salonen. Recent seasons have also included Axel Oxenstierna in Julien Bilodeau and Michel Marc Bouchard’s La Reine-garçon at Opéra de Montréal and the Canadian Opera Company, Johan in Paola Prestini’s Silent Light at National Sawdust, The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Festival del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and his Glyndebourne Festival Opera debut as Lieutenant Ratcliffe in Billy Budd.

In the current season, he appears as Don Alfonso in Atom Egoyan’s production of Così fan tutte at the Canadian Opera Company led by Music Director Johannes Debus, collaborates with Stephanie Childress and the New World Symphony in Mozart’s Requiem, makes his Teatro Regio Torino debut as Escamillo in Carmen in a production by Arnaud Bernard and conducted by Daniel Oren, and joins Minnesota Orchestra for Rachmaninov’s The Bells under Music Director Thomas Søndergård.

In concert, Okulitch has appeared in Handel’s Messiah with Houston Symphony Orchestra and with the Charlotte Symphony under Christopher Warren-Green, Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Symphony Nova Scotia led by Jeff Joudrey, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under Krzysztof Urbański and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Stephanie Childress.

More recently, he reprised Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Malmö Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Bleuse, Handel’s Messiah with Seattle Symphony Orchestra under Aram Demirjian and debuted Rachmaninofff’s Spring cantata with Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid conducted by Marzena Diakun. Recent engagements have also included Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel with Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Stephanie Childress, Mozart Requiem with Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Riccardo Minasi, Fauré Requiem with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra led by Otto Tausk and Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with Orchestre Symphonique de Québec under Clemens Schuldt.

Daniel Okulitch’s career first garnered national attention in the original cast of Baz Luhrmann’s Tony Award-winning Broadway production of La bohème. His first solo recording, The New American Art Song, was released on GPR Records and features world premieres by Ricky Ian Gordon, Jake Heggie, Lowell Liebermann and Glen Roven, who all accompany Okulitch, and with this program, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall.