Derek Taylor

Mario Cavaradossi

Hailed for his “ringing top” and “blazing good looks,” American tenor Derek Taylor has garnered wide praise for his appearances in the United States and Europe.

During the 2018-2019 season, Mr. Taylor will make his role debut as the title role in Roméo et Juliette with the Hawaii Opera Theatre. He returns to Theater St. Gallen, Switzerland for a role debut as Pollione in Norma, and joins the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. Concert engagements include Cassio in Otello with Austin Lyric Opera, and Don José in Carmen with the Plano Symphony Orchestra.

In the 2017-2018 season, Mr. Taylor returned to Oper Leipzig as Calaf in Turandot and made his role debut as Samson in Samson et Dalila with Virginia Opera, before singing the role in Vilnius, Lithuania, and joining the Vienna Staatsoper to cover Roberto Alagna in the part. He also made a role and house debut as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer with Opera San Jose. Concert appearances included Verdi’s Messa da Requiem under the baton of Michael Francis with the Florida Orchestra, and Rodrigo in Otello with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.

Notable engagements of recent seasons include Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for his house debut with Oper Leipzig, Macduff in Macbeth with New Orleans Opera, a return to Theater und Konzert, St. Gallen for Cavaradossi in Tosca and Walter in Catalani’s Loreley, and a role debut as Calaf in Turandot with Virginia Opera. Among his numerous performances with Theater St. Gallen, Switzerland, Mr. Taylor appeared there as Gustavo in Un Ballo in Maschera, Zamoro in Verdi’s Alzira, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon, Alfredo in La Traviata, Edgardo in Lucia di Lamermoor, Il Duca in Rigoletto, and Don José in Carmen, among other leading roles.

Further career highlights include Antonio in the American premiere of Thomas Ades' The Tempest with Santa Fe Opera, Cassio in Verdi ́s Otello with LA Opera, Gustavo in Un Ballo in Maschera at Theater Basel and The Saint of Bleecker Street at Central City Opera. Mr. Taylor has given memorable performances as Jacopo in I Due Foscari, Enzo Grimaldi in La Gioconda, Hagenbach in La Wally, Gustavo in Un Ballo in Maschera, Foresto in Attila, Rodrigue in Le Cid, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Ruggero in La Rondine, and has frequently appeared as Rodolfo in La bohème. A natural fit for French grand opera, Mr. Taylor has sung the title roles in Faust and Les Contes d'Hoffmann.

Additional appearances include performances with Theater Würzburg, Musiktheater im Revier Gelsenkirchen, Theater Mönchengladbach, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Baltimore Opera, Hawaii Opera Theater, Virginia Opera, and Manitoba Opera, among others.