The Dallas Opera is pleased to announce the casting of renowned British baritone Robert Hayward in the pivotal role of "Jokanaan"Â or "John the Baptist"Â in the company's new January 2008 production of SALOME by Richard Strauss.
Mr. Hayward, who has performed the role in productions ranging from English National Opera to San Diego Opera, will be making his Dallas Opera debut as part of the 2007-2008 "Death by Diva!"Â season.
Praised by The British Theatre Guide, "a striking performance by baritone Robert Hayward, silver-haired, erect and ruthless,"Â for his commanding stage presence and a rich baritone frequently compared to that of Bryn Terfel's; Hayward made his professional opera debut in 1986 in the title role of Glyndebourne Touring Opera's DON GIOVANNI.
Most recently, Robert Hayward sang Wotan/Wanderer in ENO's new RING Cycle, prompting glowing reviews: "Robert Hayward's magnetic Wotan is overwhelming in his lyricism"Â. Other recent engagements have included the title role in Luigi Dallapiccola's IL PRIGIONIERO for Frankfurt Opera, the title role in Handel's SAUL for Opera North, the title roles of THE FLYING DUTCHMAN and MAZEPPA and the role of Khovansky in KHOVANSHCHINA for Welsh National Opera. His interpretation of Dr Schön in ENO's LULU by Alban Berg has been recorded and released on Chandos Records.
Over the past two decades, Mr. Hayward has amassed a wide repertoire that includes Wotan/the Wanderer, Amfortas in PARSIFAL, Figaro and Count Almaviva in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Iago in OTELLO, Ford in FALSTAFF, Scarpia in TOSCA, Marcello in LA BOHEME, and the title roles in EUGENE ONEGIN, DER FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER and DON GIOVANNI. He is a frequent guest of companies, such as, the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Bavarian State Opera Munich, WNO, Opera North, Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Festival and Touring Opera, Houston Grand Opera, the New Israeli Opera and Minnesota Opera.
Robert Hayward has also appeared in concert with leading orchestras throughout the United Kingdom as an acclaimed soloist in Belshazzar's Feast (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra), Handel's Messiah (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Northern Sinfonia, the Halle and London Philharmonic Orchestras), The Dream of Gerontius (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic) and overseas in performances of major works including Mozart's Requiem (BBC Philharmonic in Copenhagen, conducted by Sir Georg Solti).
"We are genuinely excited to offer North Texans the chance to hear Mr. Hayward in one of his spine-tingling signature roles,"Â says Dallas Opera Director of Artistic Administration Jonathan Pell. "With upcoming engagements in FALSTAFF, Zemlinsky's FLORENTINE TRAGEDY, MACBETH, ARABELLA and LOHENGRIN in prestigious venues around the world - we are extremely fortunate to have engaged his services."Â
Robert Hayward will sing the role of the Baptist originally planned for Richard Bernstein, who asked to be released from his contract. -- www.dallasopera.org
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