Jan Opalach (Bass-Baritone)

Born: 1950 - USA

The American bass-baritone, Jan Opalach, has won the 1979 Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, the 1980 Walter M. Naumburg Vocal Competition, and the 1981 International Vocal Competition at s’Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. He was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Soloist Recital Grant.

Jan Opalach is one of the most versatile vocalists in the USA. His repertory includes serious and comic roles of all eras and styles. He has appeared with the Oratorio Society of Washington and New York, The Handel Festival Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and Musica Sacra, and the New York City Opera. In 2000-2001 season he made his debut with the New Orleans Opera and also performed with the Kentucky, Dayton, and Greensboro Operas, and at Festival Vancouver. His concert appearances included with the London Sinfonietta at Carnegie Hall.

Jan Opalach's recorded works include Igor Stravinsky’s Renard/Pulcinella, Wolpe’s Quintet with Voice, Carter’s Syringa, Beaser’s Seven Deadly Sins, George Frideric Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Kernis’ Mourning Song, Schubert Lieder, and, with the Bach Ensemble, solo cantatas for bass by J.S. Bach.

Source: Liner notes to Nonesuch CD 9-79036-2 (Mass in B minor, conducted by Rifkin, 1982); Oratorio Society of New York Website (2000-2001); Ruud Janssen (February 2006)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2001)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Dwight Oltman

Bass

BWV 182, BWV 244 [3^rd]

Joshua Rifkin

Bass

BWV 8, BWV 56, BWV 78, BWV 80, BWV 82, BWV 99, BWV 106, BWV 131, BWV 140, BWV 147, BWV 158, BWV 232, BWV 243

Richard Westenburg

Bass

BWV 105

Links to other Sites

The Oratorio Society of New York: Jan Opalach Biography